Sebastiano Ricci, The Last Supper, 1713/1714

"Will you speak up, please? I still couldn't hear you."
"Yes, sir. I said that I didn't say that you couldn't punish me."
"Just what the hell are you talking about?"
"I'm answering your question, sir."
"What question?"
" 'Just what the hell did you mean, you bastard, when you said we couldn't punish you?' " said the corporal who could take shorthand, reading from his steno pad.
"All right," said the colonel. "Just what the hell did you mean?"
"I didn't say you couldn't punish me, sir."
"When?" asked the colonel.
"When what, sir?"
"Now you're asking me questions again."
"I'm sorry, sir. I'm afraid I don't understand your question."
"When didn't you say we couldn't punish you? Don't you understand my question?"
"No, sir. I don't understand."
"You've just told us that. Now suppose you answer my question."
"But how can I answer it?"
"That's another question you're asking me."
"I'm sorry, sir. But I don't understand how to answer it. I never said you couldn't punish me."
"Now you're telling us when you did say it. I'm asking you to tell us when you didn't say it."
Clevinger took a deep breath. "I always didn't say you couldn't punish me, sir."
"That's much better, Mr. Clevinger, even if it is a barefaced lie."
 - Joseph Heller, Catch-22

This passage from Heller's celebrated novel communicates a unique kind of discord associated with bureaucracy and government and leaders who have no idea how to lead. The confusion evident in the passage, and throughout the whole text, owes its existence such incompetence.

Ricci's vision of the ever-popular last supper displays a similar kind of chaos. Ricci offers a glimpse into the world of the elite, and in the realm of Christianity, who's more important than Christ and the twelve disciples? The painting feels different from other versions of the scene, like the peaceful breaking of the bread, or the intense accusation of Judas. Instead, Ricci has the disciples in a state of obvious confusion,  murmuring and discussing amongst themselves some alarming subject, and one disciple to Jesus' left has collapsed, exasperated or distressed, into the crook of his own arm. A chair has been overturned as another disciple (possibly Judas - note the tightly grasped money bag) makes a hasty escape. Jesus' eyes, when examined closely, appear to be crossed out with little black X's, suggesting that, despite his relatively calm appearance, he too cannot see the truth. Nevertheless, he still raises his finger as if to teach.

No one controls either situation, yet no one will admit how little they know. Each leader refuses to expose his confusion, even when doing so only furthers the chaos of each situation.