Portions Have Grown in Last Supper Paintings

Don’t ask why this study was commissioned, but two researchers have found that over the past 1,000 years, the portion sizes in representations of the Last Supper have increased. Published in April’s International Journal of Obesity, the findings show that the loaves of bread, main dishes, and plates have all grown relative to the size of the heads of Jesus and the disciples—main course increased by 69 percent, plate size 66 percent, and loaves of bread swelled by 23 percent. The two researchers, one at Cornell and his brother at Virginia Wesleyan College, suggested that the notable growth—particularly after 1500—could be explained by the fact that food became more available and less expensive.