ANALYSIS OF SALVADOR DALI'S THE SACRAMENT OF THE LAST SUPPER ACCORDING TO THE METHOD OF ICONOGRAPHIC AND ICONOLOGICAL ART CRITICISM

Abstract

Stories about Jesus in the Bible are very important in Western Art. Many artists have reflected these stories on their canvases. Jesus's last supper with his apostles has been used as material by many painters throughout history. Giotto di Bondone, Bouts, Poussin, and Leonardo Da Vinci are some of these painters. At this dinner, the day before his arrest by Roman soldiers, Jesus declared that one of the apostles would betray him. At this point, it is a rather dramatic historical event. Dali, on the other hand, interpreted this narrative as a liturgical meal scheme rather than a dramatic historical one, emphasizing the peaceful communion phase of the last dinner. In this study, based on Erwin Panofsky's Iconographic and Iconological Art Criticism method, the work of The Sacrament of the Last Supper by Salvador Dali, one of the most influential painters of the 20th century, was analyzed. While analyzing the work, the subtitles of natural subject matter, conventional subject matter and intrinsic meaning were used. In the literature review, it was seen that some interpretations were made about this religious-themed painting that Salvador Dali made during his period of intense Catholic belief, but it was noticed that there is no any comprehensive analysis by using Panofsky's iconographic and iconological art criticism method. It is thought that this academic study will contribute to the literature in this respect.