John Hancock, The Last Supper, and Feet

by Avery Dubyk, History Site Educator

King’s Chapel has a hidden gem tucked away in the back of the sanctuary - a painting of the Last Supper, with a surprising connection to the American Revolution and John Hancock! Depictions of the Last Supper show the last meal that Jesus had with his apostles before Roman guards captured and crucified him. A donor gifted the painting to the church some time before the American Revolution, with the intention that King’s Chapel use it as an altarpiece. Instead, the church leadership chose to place the painting in the home of the then minister, Reverend Henry Caner. 

Reverend Caner, as a minister of the Church of England, supported the English monarchy. During an event known as Evacuation Day, many people loyal to the crown fled the city of Boston, including Reverend Caner. Due to the speed of the evacuation, he left behind most of his possessions, including the painting. In the chaos, British soldiers ransacked Caner’s home. Church members Edward Davis and Colonel Agneau, accompanied by a guard, secured the building to prevent further theft or damage.

While in the home, Colonel Agneau noticed the painting and decided to remove it so it would not incur any damage. Initially, Edward Davis brought the artwork to his house. Eventually, inspiration struck when Founding Father John Hancock visited Edward Davis’s home. Davis requested that Hancock take the painting to his larger (and likely more secure) mansion. The painting remained at Hancock’s mansion through the rest of the war. At some point in the back and forth, the painting was folded in half, leaving a large crease down the middle, which is still visible today. Eventually, although it is unclear exactly how, the painting found its way back to King’s Chapel, and has remained in the building ever since.

Rumors swirled about who may have actually created the painting. For years, the congregation believed the painting to be the work of Benjamin West. This belief was fueled by the signature on the painting, “B. West”. West was an important early English-American artist, so it would be a big deal to own one of his paintings! The artwork looks darker than the artist intended due to smoke damage from candle use within the church. The church wanted to get the painting cleaned, so they brought in an expert to evaluate the image. He discovered that the painting was not painted by Benjamin West at all! Instead, the expert believed that the painting was made by a minor Flemish artist, likely at some point in the 17th century. It seems as though someone added the “B. West” signature on much later.

We do not know who actually created the painting, and likely never will. However, there are a few things we can determine about their life and background. It seems as though the painter is familiar with the work of Caravaggio. Caravaggio was a popular Italian artist from the late 16th and early 17th century. He is known for his use of significant contrast between light and dark. It is easy to spot that influence in King’s Chapel’s depiction of the Last Supper. The central figures, including Christ and the legs of the man in the front center of the work, are bright and light, while the edges are darker. Caravaggio also has a distinct style of painting feet, which is imitated in the painting as well.
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