Despite his agnostic protestations, Magritte was secretly religious. This painting done shortly before his death when he knew he was dying of cancer seems to confirm our suspicions. The image of a table is painted like a fresco on a wall. In what other famous religious painting does this happen? Leonardo's Last Supper of course. The trick Magritte presents is...Christ and his disciples are missing.

Magitte confirms this in a letter to Bosman written while the Magritte's were in Milan,

We have seen Leonardo's Last Supper, very badly damaged by time and the American bombings. The Last Supper gives me an idea for a painting.