The Last Supper

The fourth mural to be painted was that of the Last Supper. By this time Stanley was almost completely out of blue paint - he had only enough to use in a couple of places. This was the, “most personal” of the murals, but Stanley did not feel that it was an exciting one. The mural depicts Christ giving the very first Sacrament of Communion to his Apostles before his betrayal by Judas Iscariot, subsequent torture and crucifixion. In the caption, “This is my blood of the New Testament which is shed for many”, Christ was telling of the suffering and death which he would soon endure.

Stanley’s portrayal of Christ was that of a towering figure, rather like the lighthouse on the small island of Pulau Pisang (Banana Island) where he had operated an artillery observation post. Christ has a white cape and halo resembling a lighthouse with the lamp illuminated. The Disciples and the table, jug and bowl represented rocks around the island. The table was painted from one in RAMC billets, and the jug and basin were like the aluminium ones that were used in the hospital wards. As a personal touch, the sandals were Stanley’s own. He thought that they were a form of a personal signature.