Priya Kapoor
Leonardo da Vinci's The Last Supper is one of the most famous paintings in the world. It depicts the last meal shared between Jesus Christ and his 12 apostles before his crucifixion and is housed in the refectory of the Convent of Santa Maria delle Grazie in Milan, Italy. The painting is renowned for its use of perspective, with all 13 figures seated on one side of the table, ensuring that no figure has their back to the viewer. The painting has undergone extensive restoration work, with critics arguing that very little of the original work remains.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Artist | Leonardo da Vinci |
| Year | c. 1495–1498 |
| Location | Santa Maria delle Grazie, Milan, Italy |
| Medium | Tempera |
| Surface | Stone wall sealed with a double layer of gesso, pitch, and mastic |
| Undercoat | White lead |
| Technique | Painted on dry plaster |
| Subject | The Last Supper of Jesus with the Twelve Apostles |
| Biblical Reference | Gospel of John, Matthew 26:21–28 |
| Seating Arrangement | Six guests on each side of Jesus |
| Notable Details | One-point perspective, emotional expressions, tablecloth with blue and white stripes |
| Copies | Replicated by Giampietrino, Andrea Solari, and Cesare da Sesto |
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What You'll Learn
The painting's location
The Last Supper, painted by Leonardo da Vinci, is located in the refectory of the Convent of Santa Maria delle Grazie in Milan, Italy. The painting is housed in the church's dining hall, on the north wall, and covers an area of 460 cm × 880 cm (15 ft 1 in × 28 ft 10 in).
The church and convent complex where The Last Supper is located was begun in 1463 and reworked at the end of the 15th century by Bramante, one of the masters of the Renaissance. The complex was built by Guiniforte Solari and later enlarged by Bramante, who added a drum-shaped dome, semi-circular apses, a cloister, and the refectory where The Last Supper is located.
The painting itself was commissioned by Ludovico Sforza, the Duke of Milan, and was painted by da Vinci between 1495 and 1498. The Last Supper depicts the moment after Jesus announces that one of his apostles will betray him, and it is considered one of da Vinci's most celebrated works.
Over the years, The Last Supper has suffered damage due to environmental factors, intentional damage, and the use of oil paint, which was less stable than watercolour fresco techniques. During World War II, a bomb destroyed most of Santa Maria delle Grazie, but the wall bearing da Vinci's painting remained intact.
Today, The Last Supper remains a popular attraction in Milan, and visitors can view the painting by purchasing tickets in advance. The painting is carefully preserved, with a limited number of people allowed in the room at one time to prevent further deterioration.
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$28.27
The number of people depicted
The Last Supper, painted by Leonardo da Vinci, is one of the most famous artworks in the world. It depicts the biblical portrayal of Jesus' betrayal by Judas, one of the Twelve Apostles. The painting is housed in the refectory of the Convent of Santa Maria delle Grazie in Milan, Italy.
The painting is a mural that was created on a stone wall sealed with a double layer of gesso, pitch, and mastic. It is painted in tempera, with an undercoat of white lead to enhance the brightness. This technique was considered riskier than the traditional fresco method, as it was more likely to deteriorate. Unfortunately, due to the wall's moisture retention issues, the paint began to flake and deteriorate soon after its completion in 1498. By 1556, fewer than 60 years after it was finished, the painting was described as a "muddle of blots", with the figures becoming unrecognizable.
Despite the deterioration, the painting still depicts 13 people, including Jesus and his 12 apostles. Da Vinci seated the diners on one side of the table, ensuring that none of them had their back to the viewer. This was a common composition for depictions of the Last Supper during this period. The tablecloth is white with blue stripes, the colours commonly associated with Jewish people, and the only overt reference to the ethnicity of Jesus and his disciples in the painting.
Each apostle displays a unique reaction to Jesus' announcement of his impending betrayal, with various degrees of anger and shock. Judas, the betrayer, leans back into the shadow, reaching for a piece of bread, while the other apostles react in horror as Jesus points to the bread before them.
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The identity of the people
The Last Supper, painted by Leonardo da Vinci between 1494 and the beginning of 1498, depicts Jesus sharing a meal with the Twelve Apostles before his crucifixion. It is housed in the refectory of the Convent of Santa Maria delle Grazie in Milan, Italy.
The painting portrays the moment after Jesus announces that one of his apostles will betray him, as told in the Gospel of John. Each of the twelve apostles has a unique reaction to the news, with various degrees of anger and shock.
Jesus is seated in the middle of the table with six apostles on each side of him. Judas, the betrayer, is depicted leaning back into the shadows, reaching for a piece of bread. John, the disciple whom Jesus loved, is seated to the right of Jesus, while Peter is positioned directly across the table from them.
The painting's only overt reference to the ethnicity of Jesus and his disciples is the white tablecloth with blue stripes, colours commonly associated with Jewish people.
The identities and seating arrangement of the other apostles in the painting have been the subject of interpretation and debate. While the apostles were identified by their names in a 16th-century fresco copy of Leonardo's Cenacolo, the specific identities and positions of each figure remain a subject of ongoing discussion and analysis.
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The painting's condition
The Last Supper, painted by Leonardo da Vinci, is one of the most famous artworks in the world. It is a mural painting dated to around 1495–1498 and housed in the refectory of the Convent of Santa Maria delle Grazie in Milan, Italy.
The painting is renowned for its handling of space, mastery of perspective, treatment of motion, and complex display of human emotion. However, despite its fame and artistic merit, the painting has suffered extensive deterioration over the centuries.
Firstly, the methods used by da Vinci contributed to the deterioration. He chose to paint on a thin exterior wall, sealed with a double layer of gesso, pitch, and mastic, and then added an undercoat of white lead to enhance the brightness of the tempera on top. While this method had been described by Cennino Cennini in the 14th century, Cennini himself considered it riskier than fresco painting and recommended using it only for final touches. As a result, the paint failed to adhere properly to the wall, and the painting soon began to flake and deteriorate.
Secondly, environmental factors exacerbated the problem. The church had been rebuilt hastily, and the masons filled the walls with moisture-retaining rubble. The effects of humidity were significant, and by 1517, the painting was already flaking. Over time, the painting continued to deteriorate due to these factors, and intentional damage also occurred.
Despite numerous restoration attempts, the painting remains fragile. Visitors are allowed only 15 minutes to view the mural in small groups to slow its deterioration. While some of da Vinci's celebrated artistic qualities have been lost, the painting still retains its appeal, and visitors can appreciate da Vinci's skill in depicting a sequential narrative, his use of perspective, and his representation of human psychology in expression, gesture, and posture.
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The painting's composition
The Last Supper, painted by Leonardo da Vinci, is considered one of the most famous artworks in the world. It depicts the last meal shared between Jesus Christ and his 12 apostles before his crucifixion and betrayal by Judas.
The painting is renowned for its use of perspective and composition. Da Vinci employed a one-point perspective, with the vanishing point at Jesus' right temple, ensuring that all lines of sight lead the viewer's gaze directly to him as the focal point. This technique, along with the use of symmetry and harmony, creates a sense of depth and precision, enhancing the impact of the scene.
Da Vinci's composition also showcases his understanding of human emotion and expression. Each of the 12 apostles reacts differently to Jesus' announcement of betrayal, with various degrees of anger and shock. Judas, the betrayer, leans back into the shadows, reaching for a piece of bread, while John, seated to Jesus' right, leans back against him, indicating his position as a trusted friend.
The table setting and food choices also carry significance. The white tablecloth with blue stripes is a subtle reference to the ethnicity of Jesus and his disciples, as these colours were associated with Jewish people. The presence of bread and wine on the table symbolises the Eucharist, representing Jesus' body and blood.
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Frequently asked questions
There are 13 people in the painting: Jesus and his 12 apostles.
The number 12 is often used to symbolise a larger indefinite number. In this case, it refers to all of Jesus's apostles.
Da Vinci wanted to depict the moment when Jesus announces that one of his apostles will betray him. Each apostle has a unique reaction, with various degrees of anger and shock.
Judas is leaning back into the shadows, dipping bread in the same bowl as Jesus. This detail suggests that, to the very end, Jesus loved Judas.
