The fresco is from the cycle of the life of Christ in the Sistine Chapel, it is located in the sixth compartment on the north wall. This scene is not so eventful as the other frescoes of the cycle, but the highlighted chalice standing on the table in front of Christ emphasizes the fact that we are seeing the institution of the sacrament of the Eucharist and, accordingly, a symbol of the New Covenant between God and mankind.

There are three "window" paintings in the background, the Christ Praying on the Mount of Olives, the Arrest of Christ and the Crucifixion. The latter two is the work of Biagio d'Antonio Tucci, a Florentine painter who assisted Cosimo Rosselli in the execution of the Last Supper.