The Last Supper

Circa 1240-50, Limoges
Copper, gold, pearls
Musée de Cluny, Paris

Christ is the central figure blessing the viewer. The objects on the table suggest the eucharistic liturgy rather than the historical event of Jesus' last supper. On the left is what appears to be a loaf of bread. On the right are are vase and cup, presumably for the wine. A rectangular shape to the right of the vase could be a service book.

The the small bearded figure with the fish can represent both the boy who offered his fish for the miracle of the loaves and fishes (John 6) and, according to St. Augustine's suggestion, the Jewish people. Augustine's interpretation would explain why the "boy" has a beard. In early texts the fish itself was likened to Christ, who is "eaten" in the Eucharist.

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Photographed at the Musée de Cluny, Paris, by Richard Stracke, shared under Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike license.