Leonardo da Vinci, The Last Supper (1494–1497)

Working with a traditional Christian theme—the Last Supper, at which Christ tells his disciples that one of them will betray him—Leonardo portrays Christ as a model of calm serenity amid the others, who react with guilt, shock, and horror. The use of perspective allowed Leonardo to subordinate the background (a great hall ending in windows) to the main action. (Santa Maria della Grazie, Milan, Italy / Bridgeman Images.)