The Last Supper – 3 sizes – by Max Schmalzl, from a Roman Missale – Catholic Art Print – Archival Quality

Max Schmalzl (1850-1930) was a German Redemptorist lay brother who worked as a painter and illustrator. He lived a monastic lifestyle, devoting himself to the making of Catholic art. This Last Supper is for a Missale published in 1923. Out of modesty, he normally didn't sign his works but occasionally would put the initials F.M.S. on them, which stood for Frater Max Schmalzl. He was the fulfillment of an ecclesiastical art movement called the Nazarene school, and he lived its ideal of a humble, pious, and industrious painter-monk. Despite his monasticism, he was very famous during his lifetime. Even to this day, his woodcuts and illustrations are frequently used in Catholic printing, although no one knows they are his as his fame has left the earth. He left behind many masterpieces, and this is one of our favorites. In this one, we have such a carefully crafted balance of images. All the figures are done with such precision. Above the main image is Melchizedek, and below it is the Pass