St John¡¯s Church. File picture

Leonardo Da Vinci¡¯s fresco The Last Supper may have spawned a bestseller, a blockbuster film and a barrage of theories, conjectures and suppositions about Christ¡¯s relations with Mary Magdelan and their alleged consequence. But few, perhaps, are aware that Johann (John, if you will) Zoffany¡¯s painting of the same theme now hanging inside St John¡¯s church in the heart of Dalhousie Square had raised hackles in 18th century Calcutta when it was painted and exhibited as an altar piece of Calcutta oldest parish.

The huge painting with a dusty golden frame was removed from the altar a long time ago. It hangs on the right hand side wall of the altar and is fairly well preserved. The interiors of the church like its facade are in need of repairs and even a cursory glance reveals peeling plaster. Many marble plaques in low relief are embedded in the walls besides some beautiful marble carvings. There is a small stained glass window behind the altar. But the painting stands out in spite of being relegated to a dim corner. When the lights are on the glare on the canvas is such it is impossible to view it as a whole.

Zoffany (1730-1810) needs introduction today, although he was popular enough in late 18th century when he had chosen to move to India to seek his fortune. Calcutta still can boast of some important paintings by this artist who arrived in Calcutta in 1783 and was here till 1790. He painted many portraits of the nobility and depicted contemporary socialite evenings of the city.

In the early years of the Raj, India attracted European portrait painters and landscape artists such as William Hodges and Thomas and William Daniell, the uncle-nephew duo. As Calcutta became more and more prosperous professionals such as George Chinnery, Charles D¡¯Oyly, Solvyns and Fraser dropped by. Tilly Kettle, who painted portraits of Indian royalty, and Zoffany, who confined himself to Europeans, were two of the most successful artists.

Zoffany¡¯s painting of The Last Supper in the church. Picture by Bishwarup Dutta

Zoffany¡¯s two oil on canvas paintings of Warren Hastings with his wife Marian in their garden at Belvedere, Alipore, and of Colonel Antoine Polier, a Swiss engineer and architect to the court of Oudh, Claude Martin and John Wombwell, assay master for the East India Company, with the artist working at his easel, are among the collection of the Victoria Memorial Hall.

But of course, his painting of The Last Supper is best known in India. The large painting has an air of conspiracy with the apostles in a huddle each whispering into the other¡¯s ears, occasionally casting a furtive glance at Jesus in the thick of it all.

It is a dramatic painting with a lot of billowing drapery and large, shining brass pitchers and basins in the foreground.

They contain the water with which Jesus was supposed to wash the feet of the 12 apostles.Only the master himself is isolated from the rest, if not physically, in his mind he is deep in transcendental (perhaps) thoughts. His eyes have that faraway look.

Zoffany reportedly charged Rs 1,000 per figure to paint, and HEA Cotton estimated the work to cost around Rs 13,000. But the painting created quite a kerfuffle in its time as Zoffany did not paint the figures from imagination but from life itself, and the references were far from flattering.

Conflicting passions are clearly reflected in the knitted brows of Judas Iscariot who sits in middleground, one hand under his chin. He is said to have resembled an English resident of Court of Lucknow ¡°who made himself particularly disagreeable both to the Nawab and the painter.¡±

The flaxen-haired disciple John, leaning on Jesus¡¯ shoulder, was inspired by a police magistrate, a ¡°Brahiminised European¡±, who hated Christians, and the beatific Jesus himself was modelled on a Greek clergyman.It is said that steps will now be taken to preserve this precious painting for posterity.