Watercolour, copy after The Last Supper, Domenico Ghirlandaio in Chiesa di Ognissanti (Florence), Christian Schultz, Arundel Society watercolour, 1864

Watercolour of thirteen men (Christ and the Apostoles) grouped in a room at a long, u-shaped table. The room is open as a portico. Trees in the background.

Acquired in 1995 from the National Gallery of London.
Watercolour copy made for the Arundel Society and published as a chromolithograph (Museum No.23190) in 1866 by Hangard-Mauge under the supervision of Christian Schultz.

Original work
This watercolour is a copy after the frescoes in the Ognissanti Church (Florence), painted by Domenico Ghirlandaio around 1480. Ghirlandaio (Florence 1448/9-1494) lived and worked primarily in Florence. In 1480 he travelled to Rome with other Florentine painters to work in the Sistine Chapel, such as with Sandro Botticelli (Florence 1444/5-1510), who was his partner also in the decoration of the Church of Ognissanti.

The Last Supper is one of Ghirlandaio’s best known painting. It is dated 1480, as indicated in the date under the figure of Christ. It is located in the refectory of the church, as was traditional for depictions of the Last Supper painted in the Renaissance (see for example Del Castagno Last Supper, E.46-1995). Ghirlandaio, following the wishes of the Patrons, the Franciscan Order, decided to decorate the fresco with many details, which are symbolic references to the Passion of Christ.

The fresco is perfectly integrated with the actual space of the room. Moreover, Ghirlandaio followed the Florentine tradition to paint Judas isolated across the table from the other apostles.
Other important commissions received by Ghirlandaio were the decoration of the Sassetti Chapel in Santa Trinita (see Museum No. E.107-1995) and the Tornabuoni Chapel in Santa Maria Novella (See Museum No. E.110-1995), both in Florence.

Ghirlandaio was one of the most popular artist in the 19th century, and especially favoured by the Arundel Society. The Society copied many of his paintings, especially the cycle in Santa Maria Novella, publishing eight chromolithographs and a monograph, written by Layard (1817-1894), one of the preeminent members of the Society.

Arundel Society
The Arundel Society was founded in 1848 to promote knowledge of the art through the publication of reproductions of works of art. The Society was named after Thomas Howard, 2nd Earl of Arundel (1585-1646), important aristocratic patron and collector of the early Stuart period. The Society was intended to reach the largest possible audience through these reproductions. Subjects were chosen because of their instructive meaning rather than their popularity. In addition to copies of famous paintings, the Society published an English translation of Giorgio Vasari’s (1511-1574) Lives of the most excellent painters, made in 1850 by Giovanni Aubrey Bezzi (1785-1789), one of the founding members of the Society.

The Arundel Society popularised Renaissance art, particularly that of the Italian Old Masters, echoing a growing interest for ‘primitives’ (art of Western Europe prior to the Renaissance) in the second half of the nineteenth century. The founding members of the Arundel Society were all acknowledge experts on Italian art. For instance, Sir Charles Eastlake (1793–1865; painter and art administrator), whose house was the meeting point of the Society, was Director of the National Gallery in London from 1855 until 1865 and during his tenure, he began one of the finest collections of Italian art in Britain.

Other preeminent members were John Ruskin (1819-1900, English writer, painter and collector), who supervised projects including the watercolours series of the Upper and Lower Church in Assisi, and Sir Austen H. Layard (1817-1894; English archaeologist, politician, diplomat, collector and writer). Layard lived and travelled in Italy for many years and his knowledge of the country’s art was extensive. It was thanks to Layard’s funding that the Society were able to publish copies of the watercolours made at their direction using chromolithography. Although photography was increasingly popular, as photographs could only be made in black and white, chromolithography was chosen as it was felt to be closer to the principals of the Arundel Society: they were coloured and had the aura of traditional prints. In this way, copies were more like the originals.

The Society reached the height of its popularity in the 1860s. However, by the end of the century, it faced mounting criticism with regards to the accuracy of its watercolour copies. The Society ceased its activities in 1897. At this time the availability of second hand prints had increased and the Society found it difficult to find market for its chromolithographs. Moreover, photographic reproductions were becoming increasingly popular thanks to technical advances. The last display of the Arundel Society’s watercolours took place at the National Gallery and when the Society was dissolved, some watercolours were given to that Institution, while others were acquired by the then South Kensington Museum (now V&A). The outstanding watercolours were transferred from the National Gallery to the V&A in the 1990s.

The copyist
This watercolour was painted by Christian Schultz (1817-1882/3), a German artist and printer. His copy after Fra Angelico's Crucifixion was displayed to the Society's members at the annual general meeting of 1864 with two other copies made in Florence: Fra Angelico's Crucifixion (Convent of San Marco, Florence) and Andrea del Sarto's Nativity of the Virgin (Santissima Annunziata, Florence), both in the V&A collection (inv. E.7-1995 and E.273-1995). These were the first copies made by Schultz for the Arundel Society and they met with such approval that Cesare Mariannecci (c. 1819-c. 1894), one of the most prolific copyists for the Society, was then asked to imitate Schultz’s technique.

This watercolour is a copy made by Christian Schultz (Kassel 1817 – 1882/3) after the fresco in the Ognissanti Church in Florence by Domenico Ghirlandaio (Florence 1448/9-1494). It was painted in 1864 for the Arundel Society, founded in 1848 to promote knowledge of the art through the publication of reproductions of works of art. The Arundel Society popularised Renaissance art, particularly that of the Italian Old Masters, echoing a growing interest for ‘primitives’ (art of western Europe prior to the Renaissance) during the second half of the nineteenth century.

Ghirlandaio was principally active in Florence, where he had a most lively workshop. In 1481, was called by Pope Sistus IV to work in the Sistine Chapel, together with other Florentine artists. The Last Supper was painted in the refectory of the Ognissanti church in Florence around 1480, before his trip to Rome. Ghirlandaio chose to paint many ornamental details, which are in reality symbolic allusions to the Passion of Christ.

E.106-1995