Communion of the Apostles (Signorelli)

Signorelli's Communion of the Apostles from around 1512 for the cathedral at Cortona is a late work reflecting his response to the dramatic developments in Florentine and Roman art — Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel ceiling was unveiled in 1512. The Last Supper theme was central to Eucharistic devotion, and altarpieces depicting the Communion of the Apostles served as visual counterparts to the Mass performed before them. Signorelli's late style became more angular and emotionally intense, reflecting both his own temperament and the broader shift toward the Mannerist idiom that would dominate the following generation.

The measured composition of apostles arranged around Christ emphasizes the sacramental gravity of the scene, with Signorelli's precise anatomical drawing and clear, cool palette lending solemnity to the event.