Olympic ‘Last Supper’ scene was in fact based on painting of Greek gods, say art experts

The idea, Jolly said, was "more to have a big pagan party linked to the gods of Olympus, Olympian, Olympianism … You'll never find in me any kind of wish to mock, to denigrate anything at all. I wanted a ceremony that repairs and reconciles." 

Jolly did not name the painting that inspired the tableau, but art historians in France and the Netherlands have pointed to van Bijlert's work, a portrayal of the ancient Greek deities gathered for a feast on Mount Olympus. 

The Dutch art historian Walther Schoonenberg was in no doubt. "The tableau vivant or 'living painting' in the opening ceremony of Paris 2024 was of The Feast of the Gods, by Jan van Bijlert from 1635," Schoonenberg said on X...

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/article/2024/jul/29/olympic-last-supper-scene-based-painting-greek-gods-art-experts