NEW ORLEANS — A New Orleans artist has put a breezy new spin on a masterpiece.
A 21st-century rendition of “The Last Supper” depicts Saints quarterback Drew Brees as the focal point of the painting and shows his 12 “apostles” -- his New Orleans teammates.
It is certainly not what Leonardo da Vinci envisioned in 1495 when he began painting the scene of Jesus Christ breaking bread and drinking wine with his apostles the night before his betrayal. But artist Stephany Lyman, while trying not to be sacrilegious, knows that football fans in the bayou have considered Brees a saint during his 15 seasons in New Orleans.
Lyman’s painting is inscribed with the phrase, “Verily, It Came to Pass,” referring to Brees’ recent retirement and a testament to a player who passed for 80,358 yards and 571 touchdowns -- 491 with the Saints -- during his career.
Lyman is an artist and writer who taught English at the University of New Orleans for 30 years, NOLA.com reported.
Brees’ “apostles” include some of his most celebrated teammates -- from left to right, the painting depicts Steve Gleason, Thomas Morstead, Jonathan Vilma, Michael Thomas, Jimmy Graham, Marques Colston, Jahri Evans, coach Sean Payton, Pierre Thomas, Deuce McAllister, Cam Jordan and Alvin Kamara.
“These are the apostles,” Lyman told NOLA.com. “The ones who have been part of his journey as a football player.”
The original painting includes Judas Iscariot, who betrayed Jesus. In Lyman’s rendition, Graham is sitting in Judas’ spot. Lyman said she has no issue with Graham, but added that “somebody had to be Judas.”
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Besides, she said, Graham, a tight end, was one of Brees’ “most devoted disciples” but was swayed by personal ambition and fell from grace, NOLA.com reported.
Lyman decided to drape her painting over the balcony of her Bayou St. John residence in New Orleans, NOLA.com reported. She told the website that she believed the painting would be perfect for Passover and Holy Week.
Lyman gave Brees and his disciples a cajun touch by making the dinner a crawfish feast and providing paper towels.
While some may raise eyebrows over this bit of religious license, Lyman insists it is all in good fun.
“I had to ask myself, ‘Would a painting with Drew as Jesus offend people?” Lyman told NOLA.com.
Lyman said she decided that if someone wanted “to name a bunch of sweaty football players after the saints,” they have to expect some spiritual license -- and some humor.