[1] Nolde came from a Protestant family, but it was only after surviving a serious case of poisoning that he became interested in the making of Christian-inspired paintings.
In this case, he depicts the Last Supper, a traditional theme in paintings dealing with the life of Christ, but here in a very personal way.
Nolde adopts an expressionist approach, presenting Jesus and the Apostles around a table in the Last Supper, but with the use of expressive colours and ignoring entirely the surrounding space.
Dressed in red and white, his yellow face and serene expression seem to anticipate the events of his passion.
[1][2] Tuan Hong states that "Rather than a variety of reactions, the painting shows unity and communion among the apostles, whose faces turn towards Jesus while sharing a similar expression.