The very name of Leonardo da Vinci’s famous work “The Last Supper” carries a sacred meaning. Indeed, many of Leonardo’s paintings are surrounded by an aura of mystery. In The Last Supper, as in many other works of the artist, there is a lot of symbolism and hidden messages.
The restoration of the legendary creation was recently completed. Thanks to this, we were able to learn many interesting facts related to the history of the painting. Its meaning is still not entirely clear. New speculations are being born about the hidden message of the Last Supper.
Leonardo da Vinci is one of the most mysterious personalities in the history of fine art. Some practically canonize the artist and write odes of praise to him, while others, on the contrary, consider him a blasphemer who sold his soul to the devil. But at the same time, no one doubts the genius of the great Italian.
The history of the painting
It’s hard to believe, but the monumental painting “The Last Supper” was made in 1495 by order of the Duke of Milan, Ludovico Sforza. Despite the fact that the ruler was famous for his dissolute disposition, he had a very modest and pious wife, Beatrice, whom he, it is worth noting, greatly respected and revered.
But, unfortunately, the true power of his love was revealed only when his wife suddenly died. The Duke's grief was so great that he did not leave his own chambers for 15 days, and when he left, the first thing he did was order Leonardo da Vinci to paint a fresco, which his late wife had once asked for, and forever put an end to his riotous lifestyle.
The artist completed his unique creation in 1498. The dimensions of the painting were 880 by 460 centimeters. The Last Supper can be best seen if you move 9 meters to the side and rise 3.5 meters up. When creating the painting, Leonardo used egg tempera, which subsequently played a cruel joke on the fresco. The canvas began to collapse just 20 years after its creation.
The famous fresco is located on one of the walls of the refectory in the Church of Santa Maria delle Grazie in Milan. According to art historians, the artist specifically depicted in the picture exactly the same table and dishes that were used at that time in the church. With this simple technique, he tried to show that Jesus and Judas (Good and Evil) are much closer than we think.
Interesting Facts
1. The identities of the apostles depicted on the canvas have repeatedly become the subject of controversy. Judging by the inscriptions on the reproduction of the canvas kept in Lugano, these are (from left to right) Bartholomew, James the Younger, Andrew, Judas, Peter, John, Thomas, James the Elder, Philip, Matthew, Thaddeus and Simon Zelotes.
2. Many historians believe that the painting depicts the Eucharist (communion), since Jesus Christ points with both hands to the table with wine and bread. True, there is an alternative version. It will be discussed below...
3. Many people know the story from school that Da Vinci found the most difficult images of Jesus and Judas. Initially, the artist planned to make them the embodiment of good and evil and for a long time could not find people who would serve as models for creating his masterpiece.
Once, during a church service, an Italian saw a young man in the choir, so spiritual and pure that there was no doubt: this was the incarnation of Jesus for his “Last Supper.”
The last character whose prototype the artist still could not find was Judas. Da Vinci spent hours wandering the narrow Italian streets in search of a suitable model. And now, 3 years later, the artist found what he was looking for. Lying in the ditch was a drunkard who had long been on the edge of society. The artist ordered the drunkard to be brought to his studio. The man practically could not stand on his feet and had little idea where he had ended up.
After the image of Judas was completed, the drunkard approached the picture and admitted that he had seen it somewhere before. To the author’s bewilderment, the man replied that three years ago he was a completely different person - he sang in a church choir and led a righteous lifestyle. It was then that some artist approached him with a proposal to paint Christ from him.
Thus, according to historians, the same person posed for the images of Jesus and Judas at different periods of his life. This fact serves as a metaphor, showing that good and evil go hand in hand and there is a very thin line between them.
4. The most controversial is the opinion that sitting on the right hand of Jesus Christ is not a man at all, but none other than Mary Magdalene. Her location indicates that she was the legal wife of Jesus. The silhouettes of Mary Magdalene and Jesus form the letter M. It supposedly means the word matrimonio, which translates as “marriage.”
5. According to some scientists, the unusual arrangement of the students on the canvas is not accidental. They say that Leonardo da Vinci placed people according to zodiac signs. According to this legend, Jesus was a Capricorn and his beloved Mary Magdalene was a Virgo.
6. It is impossible not to mention the fact that during the Second World War, as a result of a shell hitting the church building, almost everything was destroyed except the wall on which the fresco is depicted.
And before that, in 1566, local monks made a door in the wall with the image of the Last Supper, which “cut off” the legs of the characters in the fresco. A little later, the Milanese coat of arms was hung over the Savior’s head. And at the end of the 17th century, the refectory was turned into a stable.
7. No less interesting are the thoughts of people of art about the food depicted on the table. For example, near Judas Leonardo painted an overturned salt shaker (which at all times was considered a bad omen), as well as an empty plate.
8. There is an assumption that the Apostle Thaddeus, sitting with his back to Christ, is actually a self-portrait of da Vinci himself. And, given the artist’s disposition and his atheistic views, this hypothesis is more than likely.
I think that even if you do not consider yourself a connoisseur of high art, you are still interested in this information. If so, share the article with your friends.
"The Last Supper" by Leonardo da Vinci is one of the most famous paintings in the world. This work of art was painted between 1494 and 1498 and represents Jesus' last meal with his apostles. The painting was commissioned by Louis Sforza. Leonardo's "Last Supper" remains to this day in its original place - on the wall in the refectory of the monastery of Santa Maria delle Grazi.
Plot
In 1494, Leonardo da Vinci began what would become one of the most influential works of art in history. The Last Supper is Leonardo's visual interpretation of an event recorded in all four Gospels. In the evening, Christ gathered his apostles together to have a last dinner and tell them that he knew the coming event about the betrayal of one of them. All 12 of his followers reacted to this news with different emotions: fear, anger, bewilderment, and even hatred.
Maundy Thursday: The Last Supper and the Institution of the Sacraments
Unlike similar works, Leonardo chose to illustrate the specific moment in the Gospel story when Jesus tells his followers that one of them will betray him, paying great attention to individual expressive reactions. Referring to the Gospel, Leonardo depicts Philip asking: “Lord, is it me?”, to which Christ replies: “Whoever puts his hand on the plate with me will betray me.” And the audience sees that, together with Christ, Judas is simultaneously pulling his hand towards the saucer on the table.
The calm composure of Jesus, with his head and eyes bowed, contrasts with the agitation of the apostles. They are all grouped in groups of three. James, to Christ's left, angrily waves his arms, while the unbelieving Thomas, behind James, points upward and appears to ask, "Is this God's plan?" Thomas at this moment tries to touch the wounds of Christ in order to believe in the resurrection. Peter, with a knife in his hand (he later used it to cut off the ear of a soldier trying to arrest Jesus), approaches John, who is sitting to the right of Jesus. Judas grabbed the pouch containing his reward for identifying Jesus.
Judas and the Spilled Salt
At the same time, Leonardo also describes the sacrament of the Eucharist (Christ blessing the meal - the miraculous transformation of bread and wine into the body and blood of Christ).
Technique for performing a masterpiece
“The Last Supper” by Leonardo da Vinci, a huge painting measuring 4.6 x 8.8 meters, was made of tempera and oil on a plaster blank instead of technique. Why was the fresco technique popular at that time not used? Leonardo did not like her for two reasons. Firstly, he wanted to achieve greater brightness than the fresco method allowed. Secondly, the fast-drying fresco technique required quick work and haste. And Leonardo is known for his meticulous and lengthy work process.
The painting was made using self-created pigments directly onto dry plaster on the wall, and unlike frescoes where pigments were mixed into wet plaster, it has not stood the test of time. Even before the painting was completed, part of the canvas had already begun to peel off from the wall and Leonardo had to adjust it again.
To create this unique work, Leonardo created a huge number of preparatory sketches.
Preliminary works by Leonardo
Composition: hammer + nail
Two devices - a hammer and a nail - helped Leonardo achieve the desired perspective. What makes The Last Supper so striking is the perspective that seems to invite the viewer to step onto the dramatic stage and partake of Christ's meal. To achieve this illusion of depth on a flat surface, Leonardo da Vinci drove a nail into the wall and then tied a string to it to make marks that aided in creating perspective. This technique was rediscovered during the Renaissance. Another detail of the composition: the twelve apostles are grouped in four groups of three, and there are also three windows. The number three is often a reference to the Holy Trinity in Catholic art. Additionally, the painting is symmetrical with an equal number of figures on either side of Jesus.
Composition of the painting
Magdalene or John?
Many attentive viewers of the picture are interested in one question - after all, it is obvious that a woman is depicted to the right of Jesus, while the church has been sincerely convincing people for thousands of years in the version of the Apostle John (he also wrote the “Gospel of John the Theologian”)?
Everything about the Apostle John is strikingly feminine. These are thin graceful hands, beautiful delicate facial features and a gold necklace. An interesting fact is that this woman, in her pose and attire, is a mirror image of Christ: the same style of cloak and robe, the same tilt of her head. No one at the table wears clothing that thus reflects Jesus' clothing. Both Jesus and, presumably, Magdalene are in their inner thoughts, as if they do not notice the variety of emotions of the surrounding apostles. They are both serene and calm. The central place in the overall composition is occupied by the figure-letter that Jesus and this woman create together - this is a giant, outstretched letter “M” (quite possibly, this is the author’s message to the name of Magdalene).
Symbolism
A number of art historians and scholars are actively discussing the meaning of the vessel with spilled salt near the elbow of Judas. Spilled salt can symbolize failure, loss of religion or faith in Christ.
The second symbolic riddle is whether the fish on the table is a herring or an eel. This is important because each has its own symbolic meaning. In Italian, the word for eel is “aringa,” which means suggestion. In the Northern Italian dialect, the word for herring, renga, describes a person who denies religion (and this corresponds to Jesus' biblical prediction that his apostle Peter would deny knowing him). Thus, the eel symbolizes faith in Jesus, and the herring, on the contrary, symbolizes the unbeliever.
If we talk about monuments of art and culture of world significance, we cannot fail to mention the paintings of Leonardo da Vinci. And, undoubtedly, one of the most famous is his work “The Last Supper”. Some claim that the master was inspired to write it by a spark from God, while others insist that for the sake of such mastery he sold his soul to the devil. But one thing is undeniable - the skill and care with which the artist recreated all the nuances of the scene from the Gospel still remains an unattainable dream for most painters.
So, what secrets does this image hide? Read and find out!
Scene of Christ's last supper with his disciples
The history of the painting
Leonardo da Vinci received an order to write “The Last Supper” from his patron, the Duke of Milan Ludovico Sforza. This happened in 1495, and the reason was the death of the ruler’s wife, the modest and pious Beatrice d’Este. During her lifetime, the famous womanizer Sforza neglected communication with his wife for the sake of entertainment with friends, but still loved her in his own way. The chronicles note that after the death of his lady, he declared fifteen days of mourning, praying in his chambers and not leaving them for a minute. And after this period expired, he ordered a painting from the court artist (who was Leonardo at that time) in memory of the deceased.
The fresco is located in the Dominican Church of Santa Maria delle Grazie. Its painting lasted three whole years (whereas it usually took about three months to complete such a painting) and was completed only in 1498. The reason for this was the unusually large size of the work (460x880 cm) and the innovative technique used by the master.
Church of Santa Maria delle Grazie. Milan
Leonardo da Vinci did not paint on wet plaster, but on dry plaster, so that he could see the colors and details. In addition, he used not only oil paints, but also tempera - a mixture of pigment and egg white - which also caused the rapid deterioration of the work. The painting began to collapse twenty years after the artist made the last stroke. Now, in order to preserve it for posterity, a whole range of special events are being carried out. If this is not done, the fresco will completely disappear within 60 years.
Master's plan
Leonardo da Vinci's painting The Last Supper depicts one of the most famous and moving episodes in the Gospel. According to theological calculations, it was she who opened the Lord’s path to the cross, as the final battle with evil and death. At this moment, Christ's love for humanity was manifested clearly and visibly - He sacrificed divine light to go into death and darkness. By sharing bread with the disciples, the Lord thereby joined each of us and left His testament. But at the same time, someone may reject this possibility - after all, God is not only love, but also freedom, and this is demonstrated to us by the act of Judas.
In order to adequately convey this deep and meaningful scene in paint, Leonardo did significant preparatory work. As indicated in the notes of his contemporaries, he walked the streets of Milan in search of models. The master made them laugh, upset them and surprised them, watched how people quarreled and made peace, confessed their love and parted - so that he could later reflect this in his work. That is why All participants in the Last Supper in the fresco are endowed with individuality, their own expression, pose and mood.
First sketches of the Last Supper. Located in the Venetian Academy
In addition, the painter abandoned traditional icon painting canons in favor of a realistic and natural image. At that time, painting Jesus and the apostles without the usual crowns, halos and mandorlas (golden radiance around the entire figure) was a rather bold idea, which was even criticized by some priests. But after the completion of the work, everyone unanimously admitted that no one had ever been able to convey the divine meal better.
Secrets of the painting The Last Supper by Leonardo da Vinci
It is known that da Vinci was not only a famous artist, but also an inventor, engineer, anatomist, scientist, and some even attribute to him a connection with various mystical societies, of which there were quite a lot in Europe in the 15th century. Therefore, thanks to the skill of their creator, the works of Leonardo da Vinci also carry a certain touch of mystery and enigma. And it is precisely around the “Last Supper” that there are extremely many such prejudices and hoaxes. So, what secrets did the creator encrypt?
According to historians who study the creative heritage of the Renaissance, the most difficult thing for the master was to write Jesus and Judas Iscariot. The Lord was supposed to appear before the audience as the embodiment of kindness, love and piety, while Judas was to become his opposite, a dark antagonist. It is not surprising that da Vinci could not find suitable sitters. But one day during a service, he saw a young singer in the church choir - his young face was so spiritual and impeccable that the painter immediately realized that this particular person could become a prototype of Christ. But even after his figure was painted, the artist spent a long time adjusting and correcting it, trying to achieve perfection.
Leonardo drew the prototype of Judas and Jesus from one sitter, without knowing it
All that remained was to portray Iscariot - and again Leonardo could not find the right person. He went to the dirtiest and most neglected areas of Milan, wandering for hours through low-quality taverns and ports, trying to find someone whose face would serve as a suitable model. And finally, luck smiled at him - in a roadside ditch he saw a drunk man. The artist ordered him to be taken to church and, without even allowing him to wake up from his intoxication, began to capture the image. After finishing the work, the drunkard said that he had already seen it once, and even participated - only that time they painted Christ from him... According to contemporaries, this proved how thin the line is between a prosperous life and a fall - and how easy it is to cross it!
It is also interesting that the rector of the church in which the fresco was located often distracted Leonardo da Vinci, pointing out that he should work harder and not stand for hours in front of the image - and certainly not wander around the city in search of sitters! Finally, the painter got so tired of this that one day he promised the abbot that he would paint Judas with his face if he did not immediately stop commanding and pointing!
Disciple or Mary Magdalene?
There are still discussions about who Leonardo da Vinci depicted in the painting to the left hand of the Savior. According to some art critics, the gentle, graceful face of this character simply cannot belong to a man, which means that the artist introduced Mary Magdalene into the plot, one of the women who followed the Shepherd. Some go even further, suggesting that she was the legal wife of Jesus Christ. Confirmation of this is found in the arrangement of figures on the fresco - leaning towards each other, they form a stylized letter “M”, meaning “Matrimonio” - marriage. Other researchers do not agree with this, assuring that the outlines of the bodies can only be connected into the letter “V” - da Vinci’s initials.
Jesus and Mary Magdalene on the Last Supper fresco
But there is other evidence that Magdalene was the wife of Christ. Thus, in the Gospel you can see references to how she washed His feet with myrrh and dried them with her hair (John 12:3), and this could only be done by a woman legally married to a man. In addition, some apocrypha claim that at the time of the Lord’s crucifixion on Calvary, Mary was pregnant, and the daughter Sarah born to her became the ancestor of the French royal Merovingian dynasty.
Placement of figures and objects
The Last Supper of Leonardo da Vinci is distinguished not only by the realism and liveliness of the human figures - the master carefully worked out the space surrounding them, the cutlery, and even the landscape. Each feature of the work contains a coded message.
For example, scientists have found that the order in which the figures of the apostles are located on the fresco is not at all random - it corresponds to the sequence of the zodiac circle. So, if you adhere to this pattern, you can see that Jesus Christ was a Capricorn - a symbol of movement forward, to new heights and achievements, and spiritual development. This sign is identified with Saturn - the deity of time, fate and harmony.
But the mysterious figure next to the Savior, which was already mentioned above, is located under the sign of Virgo. This is another proof in favor of the fact that the master showed Mary Magdalene in the picture.
Amber icon “The Last Supper” by Leonardo da Vinci
It is also interesting to study the arrangement of objects on the table. In particular, near Judas’s hand you can see an upside-down salt shaker (which was already considered a sign of trouble in those days), and in addition, his plate is empty. This is a sign that he was unable to accept the grace given by the coming of the Lord and rejected His gift.
Even the fish served to the diners is a reason for disputes. Art critics have long debated what exactly Leonardo depicted. Some say that this is a herring - its Italian name, “aringa”, is consonant with “arringare” - teaching, preaching, instruction. But according to others, this is an eel - in the dialect of Eastern Italy it is called “anguilla”, which for Italians sounds similar to “one who rejects religion”.
During its existence, the fresco was repeatedly in danger of destruction. So, during World War II, an artillery shell that flew into the window of the church disfigured and partially destroyed all the walls - except for the one where the work was written!
The famous painting still exists - and reveals more and more secrets to us, the solution of which is yet to be solved. In the meantime, you can admire numerous copies and reproductions made from a variety of materials. For example, the Last Supper made of amber, poured from semi-precious crumbs and inlaid with large stones, is simply amazing - it combines masterful execution and the mystery of the original!
Encyclopedic YouTube
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✪ Leonardo da Vinci, "The Last Supper"
✪ LEONARDO da VINCI. "The Last Supper". Bible story
✪ About "The Last Supper" by Leonardo Da Vinci
✪ Leonardo da Vinci, Christ and Magdalene.AVI
✪ Last Supper (1495-1498) - Leonardo da Vinci
Subtitles
We are located in the Church of Santa Maria della Grazie, in Milan. Before us is “The Last Supper” by Leonardo da Vinci. We are in the room where the monks had their meals - in the refectory. Thus, several times a day they came here and ate in silence, having the opportunity to contemplate Leonardo's Last Supper. Of course, this is the ideal place for this plot. And far from unusual. Let's talk about the plot. During his last supper, Christ tells his twelve apostles, “One of you will betray me.” And one of the frequent readings of this image is the reaction of the apostles to his words. That is, not Christ’s actual utterance of these words, but the moment after, the reaction of the apostles. These are his closest followers. And therefore, for them his words are a terrible shock. We see a whirlpool of emotions of the apostles sitting at the table. This is one way to interpret the fresco, but there is another aspect to reading. Which, in some ways, is even more significant. We see that Christ stretches out his hands to the cup of wine and bread. This is the embodiment of the sacrament. This is an interpretation of the Eucharist, the Sacrament of Holy Communion, when Christ says: “Take my bread, this is My Body. Take the wine, this is My Blood. And remember Me." We see him stretching out his hands to the bread and wine. But what is noteworthy is that Christ’s palm is wide open, so that it seems as if he, stretching out his hand to the wine, is at the same time extending it to the plate. At the same time, Judas is drawn to her. Judas is the one who is going to betray Christ. The Romans paid him 30 pieces of silver for his betrayal. He can be seen clutching a bag of money in his right hand, retreating from Christ. His face is hidden in shadow. He moves away and at the same time extends his hand to the plate. This is precisely one of the signs of Christ’s definition of a traitor: a person who shares and eats food with him. This is interesting, since the history of the study of this work essentially boils down to what exact moment is depicted here. But I think all these moments are captured here. And the apostles are perceived as reacting both to the words of Christ, “one of you will betray me,” and to the words, “Take my bread, this is My Body; take the wine, this is My Blood.” Thus, Leonardo depicts several moments of this story and, at the same time, conveys the feeling of the Divine, the eternal, the significance of this entire story. There is no mistaking who the 13 people at dinner are. We know for sure that this is the same Last Supper. We recognize the importance of this moment without any of the symbols of the divine that were present in the Early Renaissance, such as the halo. The images themselves are majestic in this space. They are placed closely together, which conveys the energy and confusion surrounding the perfection, significance and geometric form of Christ. Right. The image of Christ forms an equilateral triangle. His head is the center of the circle. The window against which she is depicted is perceived as a halo. The center of the picture is a source of calm. And beyond it - human beings with all their shortcomings, fears, worries - around the divine center. This is Leonardo da Vinci - a mathematician, a scientist, thinking about merging everything he depicted into a single whole. If we compare the early images of the Last Supper, there is a spacious table depicted there, and the room is richly decorated. And Leonardo simplifies everything as much as possible and focuses on the characters and their gestures. He leaves no free space at the table, all the space is occupied by the figures themselves, the table separates our space from Christ and the apostles. There is no way we can become part of this space. Essentially, they have no way of getting into our space. There is a clear boundary. In the versions of the Last Supper that Leonardo may have seen in Florence, Judas sits on the opposite side of the table. By placing Judas in a row with the other apostles, the artist turns the table into the border between our world and the world of the apostles. Let's look at their faces: the face of Christ is peaceful, his gaze is downcast, one hand is raised, the other is below. On the right is a group of three people, among them Judas, he turns away from us into the shadow. His neck is turned, which reminds us of his imminent self-hanging. He moves away, and Saint Peter, the defender of Christ, rushes towards Christ. He has a knife, which he holds behind his back. He seems to be asking: who is this? I need to protect you. The third figure in this trio with Judas and Peter appears to be Saint John, who looks very humble, his eyes closed. This is traditional for depicting the Last Supper. My favorite three are the ones on the far right. Da Vinci was especially interested in expressing the soul through the body, showing the inner nature. He creates these four triplets, this links the images together, they seem to be layered on top of each other, creating an intensity of passions. By creating tension and contrast between the emotional response of these images. Here is an incredible group with Thomas's gesture pointing upward. As if saying: isn’t this predetermined by the Creator? Is it not intended by the Lord for one of us to betray you? However, of course, this pointing finger is an omen of the crucifixion of Christ, immersed in his wound. We also see Philip and Jacob of Zebedee. They are in opposition: one spreads his arms wide, the other brings them together. And if you compare it with early images of the Last Supper, you will notice that there is a distance between the figures. And here is the idea of a unified composition, so characteristic of the High Renaissance. But what is most tangible, in my opinion, is the divine essence of Christ. His peace. All lines of perspective converge on it. It is noteworthy that the line of perspective conveyed by the artist slightly diverges from the line of perspective of the beholder. That is, you need to be at the level of Christ in order to observe this fresco in the correct perspective. It is interesting that in a sense, the painting lifts the one who looks at it. We would have to lift ourselves 10-15 feet off the ground to get the perfect perspective. Thus we are in the presence of the Divine at the center, which is conveyed in various ways. Don't forget that in 1498 people saw the picture in a different way. The painting is in terrible condition, partly because Leonardo experimented with combining oil paint and tempera in a setting where fresco had traditionally been used. The image began to deteriorate soon after it was completed. Yes, unlike traditional frescoes, which were laid on wet plaster, Leonardo painted on dry plaster. The paint was unable to adhere firmly to the wall. Luckily for us, the painting was saved. So, in some ways, it is a perfect representation of the High Renaissance style. This is an attempt to create a sense of the eternal and perfect in the chaos of human life. Right. Merging of earthly and divine. Subtitles by the Amara.org community
General information
The dimensions of the image are approximately 460x880 cm, it is located in the refectory of the monastery, on the back wall. The theme is traditional for this type of premises. The opposite wall of the refectory is covered with a fresco by another master; Leonardo also put his hand to it.
The painting was commissioned by Leonardo from his patron, Duke Ludovico Sforza and his wife Beatrice d'Este. The lunettes above the painting, formed by a ceiling with three arches, are painted with the Sforza coat of arms. The painting began in 1495 and was completed in 1498; work proceeded intermittently. The date of the start of work is not exact, since “the archives of the monastery were destroyed, and the insignificant part of the documents that we have dates back to 1497, when the painting was almost completed.”
Three early copies of the painting are known to exist, presumably by Leonardo's assistant.
The painting became a milestone in the history of the Renaissance: the correctly reproduced depth of perspective changed the direction of the development of Western painting.
Technique
Leonardo painted The Last Supper on a dry wall, not on wet plaster, so the painting is not a fresco in the true sense of the word. The fresco could not be altered while it was in progress, and Leonardo decided to cover the stone wall with a layer of resin, gabs and mastic, and then paint over this layer with tempera.
Figures depicted
The apostles are depicted in groups of three, located around the figure of Christ sitting in the center. Groups of apostles, from left to right:
- Bartholomew, Jacob Alfeev and Andrey;
- Judas Iscariot (dressed in green and blue), Peter and John;
- Thomas, James Zebedee and Philip;
- Matthew, Jude Thaddeus and Simon.
In the 19th century, notebooks by Leonardo da Vinci with the names of the apostles were found; previously only Judas, Peter, John and Christ had been identified with certainty.
Analysis of the picture
The work is believed to depict the moment when Jesus utters the words that one of the apostles will betray him (“ and while they were eating, he said, “Truly I say to you, one of you will betray Me.”"), and the reaction of each of them.
As in other depictions of the Last Supper of the time, Leonardo places those sitting at the table on one side so that the viewer can see their faces. Most previous writings on the subject excluded Judas, placing him alone at the opposite end of the table from where the other eleven apostles and Jesus sat, or depicting all the apostles except Judas with a halo. Judas clutches a small pouch, perhaps representing the silver he received for betraying Jesus, or an allusion to his role among the twelve apostles as treasurer. He was the only one with his elbow on the table. The knife in Peter's hand, pointing away from Christ, perhaps refers the viewer to the scene in the Garden of Gethsemane during the arrest of Christ.
Jesus' gesture can be interpreted in two ways. According to the Bible, Jesus predicts that his betrayer will reach out to eat at the same time as him. Judas reaches for the dish, not noticing that Jesus is also stretching out his right hand to him. At the same time, Jesus points to bread and wine, symbolizing the sinless body and shed blood respectively.
The figure of Jesus is positioned and illuminated in such a way that the viewer's attention is drawn primarily to him. The head of Jesus is at a vanishing point for all lines of perspective.
The painting contains repeated references to the number three:
- the apostles sit in groups of three;
- behind Jesus there are three windows;
- the contours of the figure of Christ resemble a triangle.
The light illuminating the entire scene does not come from the windows painted behind, but comes from the left, like the real light from the window on the left wall.
In many places in the picture there is a golden ratio; for example, where Jesus and John, who is on his right, put their hands, the canvas is divided in this ratio.
Damage and restoration
Already in 1517, the paint of the painting began to peel off due to moisture. In 1556, biographer Leonardo Vasari described the painting as being badly damaged and so deteriorated that the figures were almost unrecognizable. In 1652, a doorway was made through the painting, later blocked with bricks; it can still be seen in the middle of the base of the painting. Early copies suggest that Jesus' feet were in a position symbolizing his impending crucifixion. In 1668, a curtain was hung over the painting for protection; instead, it blocked the evaporation of moisture from the surface, and when the curtain was pulled back, it scratched the peeling paint.
The first restoration was undertaken in 1726 by Michelangelo Belotti, who filled in the missing areas with oil paint and then varnished the fresco. This restoration did not last long, and another was undertaken in 1770 by Giuseppe Mazza. Mazza cleaned up Belotti's work and then extensively rewrote the mural: he rewrote all but three faces, and then was forced to stop the work due to public outrage. In 1796, French troops used the refectory as an armory; they threw stones at the paintings and climbed ladders to scratch out the apostles’ eyes. The refectory was then used as a prison. In 1821 Stefano Barezzi, known for his ability to remove frescoes from walls with extreme care, was invited to move the painting to a safer place; he seriously damaged the central section before realizing that Leonardo's work was not a fresco. Barezzi attempted to reattach the damaged areas with glue. From 1901 to 1908, Luigi Cavenaghi carried out the first thorough study of the structure of the painting, and then Cavenaghi began clearing it. In 1924, Oreste Silvestri carried out further clearing and stabilized some parts with plaster.
During the Second World War, on August 15, 1943, the refectory was bombed. Sandbags prevented bomb fragments from entering the painting, but vibration could have had a harmful effect.
In 1951-1954, Mauro Pelliccoli carried out another restoration with clearing and stabilization.
Criticism
Most artists (Leonardo da Vinci, Tintoretto, etc.) depict the apostles sitting on chairs, which does not correspond to Eastern, Palestinian traditions, and only Alexander Ivanov depicted them sitting truthfully - sitting in an Eastern way.
Main restoration
In the 1970s, the painting looked badly damaged. From 1978 to 1999, under the leadership of Pinin Brambilla Barchilon, a large-scale restoration project was carried out, the goal of which was to permanently stabilize the painting and get rid of the damage caused by pollution and improper restorations of the 18th and 19th centuries. Since it was impractical to move the painting to a quieter environment, the refectory itself was converted into such a sealed and climate-controlled environment, which required bricking up the windows. Detailed research was then carried out to determine the original form of the painting using infrared reflectoscopy and studies of core samples, as well as original cartons from the Royal Library of Windsor Castle. Some areas were considered beyond restoration. They were re-painted in watercolors in muted colors to show, without distracting the viewer's attention, that they were not an original work.
The restoration took 21 years. On May 28, 1999, the painting was opened for viewing. Visitors must reserve tickets in advance and are limited to 15 minutes in the refectory. When the fresco was unveiled, heated debate arose over the dramatic changes in colors, tones and even the ovals of the faces of several figures. James Beck, a professor of art history at Columbia University and founder of ArtWatch International, had a particularly harsh assessment of the work.
In popular culture
- The mural is shown in the documentary series “Life after People” - after a quarter of a century, many elements of the mural will be erased over time, and after 60 years without people, 15 percent of the paint from the fresco will remain, and even then they will be overgrown with moss.”
- In the video for the song “Tits” by the Leningrad group, there is a scene where a parody of the painting is shown.
- The video for the song "HUMBLE" by Kendrick Lamar also contains a parody of the painting.
- At the end of the fifty-fifth minute (54 minutes 48 seconds) of the film directed by Norman Jewison “Jesus Christ Superstar”, during the beginning of the performance of the part of Jesus in the track “Gethsemane”, the actors freeze in the frame for several seconds, repeating the location of Christ and the apostles in the painting (without observing the above order of the apostles, found in the notebooks of Leonardo da Vinci). The shot ends with the first words of Jesus' part: "The end is just a little...".
For many art critics and historians, Leonardo da Vinci's "Last Supper" is his greatest work. This fresco measures 15 x 29 feet and was created between 1495-1497. The artist painted it on the wall of the refectory in the Milan monastery of Santa Maria della Grazie. Even in the era when Leonardo himself lived, this work was considered the best and most famous. According to written evidence, the painting began to deteriorate already in the first twenty years of its existence. Da Vinci's "The Last Supper" was painted on a large layer of egg tempera. Beneath the paint was a compositional rough sketch drawn in red. The customer of the fresco was Lodovico Sforza, the Duke of Milan.
“The Last Supper” is a painting that captures the moment Jesus Christ announced to his disciples that he would be betrayed by one of them. The identities of the apostles have repeatedly become the subject of controversy, but judging by the inscriptions on the copy of the painting stored in Lugano, from left to right they are: Bartholomew, the younger James, Andrew, Judas, Peter, John, Thomas, the elder James, Philip, Matthew, Thaddeus, Simon Zelotes. Art critics believe that the composition should be perceived as an interpretation of communion, because with both hands Christ points to the table with bread and wine.
Unlike other similar films, The Last Supper shows a surprising variety of characters' emotions caused by Jesus' message. No other creation based on the same plot can even come close to da Vinci's masterpiece. What secrets did the famous artist encrypt in his work?
The authors of The Discovery of the Templars, Lynn Picknett and Clive Prince, claim that The Last Supper is filled with encrypted symbols. Firstly, to the right of Jesus (to the viewer's left), in their opinion, it is not John who sits at all, but some woman in a robe that contrasts with the clothing of Christ. The space between them resembles the letter “V”, while the figures themselves form the letter “M”. Secondly, they believe that next to the image of Peter in the painting one can see a certain hand with a clenched knife, which cannot be attributed to any of the characters. Thirdly, depicted to the left of Jesus (to the viewer's right), Thomas with a raised finger addresses Christ, and this, the authors believe, is a gesture characteristic of. Finally, fourthly, there is a hypothesis according to which Thaddeus, sitting with his back to Jesus, - this is a self-portrait of da Vinci himself.
Let's figure it out in order. Indeed, if you look closely at the picture, you can see that the character sitting to the right of Christ (to the viewer’s left) has feminine features. Do the letters “V” and “M” formed by the contours of the bodies carry any symbolic meaning? Prince and Picknett argue that this arrangement of figures suggests that the female character is Mary Magdalene and not John. Moreover, the letter “V” symbolizes the feminine principle. And “M” just means the name - Mary Magdalene.
As for the disembodied hand, upon careful examination it is still clear that it belongs to Peter, he just twisted it, which explains the unusual position. There is not much to say about Thomas, who rose up like John the Baptist. Disputes on this matter can continue for a long time, but decide for yourself whether you agree or not with such an assumption. as Prince and Picknett noted, it does indeed bear some similarities to Leonardo da Vinci himself. In general, in many of the artist’s paintings dedicated to Christ or the Holy Family, you can see the same detail: at least one of the figures has their back turned to the main character.
“The Last Supper” recently underwent restoration, which made it possible to learn a lot of interesting things about it. But the true meaning of forgotten symbols and secret messages is still unclear, so new assumptions and conjectures are being born. Who knows, maybe one day we will be able to learn at least a little about the plans of the great master.