Communion of the Apostles

"Communion of the Apostles" is an enthralling painting by the Italian Renaissance artist Luca Signorelli, created around 1512. Today, this masterpiece can be admired at the Diocesan Museum in Cortona, Tuscany.

The painting's composition draws inspiration from Justus van Gent's "Corpus Domini Altarpiece" which Signorelli encountered during his time in Urbino. Central to the artwork is Christ, surrounded by his apostles, who are dressed in vivid garments and arranged in a triangular formation. Notably, Judas Iscariot is also present, turning towards the viewer and discreetly concealing the coin of his betrayal.

Originally, this altarpiece likely included a predella—a series of smaller panels at the base. These panels, believed to be "Meeting of the Pilgrims on the Road to Emmaus" "Supper in Emmaus" and "St. Catherine of Alexandria" are now dispersed across various collections and museums in Florence.