Elena Rossi
The Last Supper, painted by Leonardo da Vinci, is one of the most famous artworks in the world. Completed in the late 15th century, between 1495 and 1498, the painting depicts the final meal that Jesus Christ shared with his disciples before his crucifixion. The painting is renowned for its incredible attention to detail and its ability to capture the emotions of the characters in the scene.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Artist | Leonardo da Vinci |
| Year | 1495-1498 |
| Technique | Tempera or oil paint on two layers of dry preparatory ground |
| Location | Santa Maria delle Grazie, Milan |
| Subject | The final meal that Jesus Christ had with his disciples before he was crucified |
| Style | Renaissance |
| Restoration | Yes, in 1999 |
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What You'll Learn
The painting was completed in the late 15th century
The Last Supper, one of the most famous artworks in the world, was completed in the late 15th century. Painted by the Italian Renaissance polymath Leonardo da Vinci, it is considered a masterpiece and one of the most iconic paintings in history. The painting depicts the final meal that Jesus Christ shared with his disciples before his crucifixion, as described in several Gospel passages, including Matthew 26:21–28.
Da Vinci likely began working on the painting in 1495 and finished it in 1498. It is located in the refectory of the Santa Maria delle Grazie convent in Milan, Italy, where it has been since its completion. The painting was commissioned by Ludovico Sforza, the Duke of Milan, and it has endured centuries of damage and restoration.
True to his nature, da Vinci worked slowly on the painting, taking long pauses between sessions. He chose not to use the traditional fresco technique of painting on wet plaster but instead experimented with tempera or oil paint on dry plaster. This allowed him to make changes as he worked but resulted in the pigments not adhering well to the wall. Consequently, the painting began to deteriorate within a few years of its completion.
Over the centuries, The Last Supper has suffered damage from various sources, including humidity, smoke, soot, floods, and exposure to the elements. During World War II, an Allied bomb caused the collapse of the refectory's roof and one wall, and the painting was exposed to the open air for several months.
Despite the challenges of preserving the delicate painting, it has undergone several restorations to ensure its survival for future generations. The most recent restoration in the late 20th century employed advanced scientific techniques to clean and repair the artwork. Today, The Last Supper continues to be a source of fascination and inspiration, capturing the imaginations of people worldwide.
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It was painted by Leonardo da Vinci
The Last Supper, one of the most famous artworks in the world, was painted by Leonardo da Vinci. Leonardo likely began working on the painting in 1495 and finished it in 1498. It is located in the refectory of the Santa Maria delle Grazie convent in Milan, Italy, and has been there since it was completed in the late 15th century.
Leonardo da Vinci was a true Renaissance man, embodying the ideal of the multifaceted man dreamed of by the Italian Renaissance. He was a painter, architect, sculptor, engineer, inventor, mathematician, anatomist, and writer. The Last Supper is a testament to his genius, his urge to experiment, and his inexhaustible curiosity.
In the period when he was working on the painting, the last decade of the 15th century, Leonardo was also busy with studies of light, sound, movement, and human emotions and their expression. These interests are reflected in The Last Supper, in which Leonardo displayed his desire to depict what he called the "motions of the soul" through postures, gestures, and expressions.
Leonardo's version of The Last Supper appears neatly arranged, with Jesus at the center of an extensive table and the Apostles to his left and right. He wears traditional red and blue robes and has a beard, but notably does not have the customary halo. Some scholars propose that the light from the window behind him serves this role or that the implied lines of the pediment above the window create the illusion of a halo. Others argue that the missing halo may suggest that Jesus is still a human being, who will endure the pain and suffering of the Passion.
Leonardo did not use the traditional fresco technique to paint The Last Supper. Instead, he experimented with tempera or oil paint on two layers of dry preparatory ground. This process allowed him to work slowly and make changes, but it also meant that the pigments were not permanently attached to the wall, and the painting began to flake within a few years.
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It is housed in Santa Maria delle Grazie, Milan
The Last Supper, painted by Leonardo da Vinci, is housed in the refectory of the Dominican convent of Santa Maria delle Grazie in Milan, Italy. The convent was begun in 1463 and reworked at the end of the 15th century by Donato Bramante, who also designed and constructed the Sacrestia Vecchia, or the Old Sacristy. Santa Maria delle Grazie is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, declared so in September 1980. The site includes the church, the convent, and The Last Supper, deemed a "unique artistic achievement, of an exceptional universal value that transcends all historical contingencies".
The Last Supper is a wall painting created between 1495 and 1498, although some sources state the year 1497. It is considered one of the world's most famous and reproduced paintings, and its creation is believed to have opened a new era in art history. The painting depicts the dramatic scene described in the Gospels, in which Jesus declares that one of the Apostles will betray him and later institutes the Eucharist. Leonardo's version neatly arranges Jesus at the centre of an extensive table with the Apostles to his left and right.
Leonardo's perfectionism led him to use an experimental technique, painting on dry plaster with tempera or oil paint, rather than the traditional fresco technique. This allowed him to work slowly and make changes, but it also meant that the pigments did not permanently attach to the wall. As a result, the painting began to deteriorate within a few years due to factors such as steam, smoke, soot, and dampness.
Over the centuries, The Last Supper has endured further damage, including from Napoleon's invading troops, a flood in the 19th century, and World War II bombing. A major restoration project took place from 1978 to 1999 to stabilise the painting and reverse the damage caused by dirt, pollution, and earlier restoration attempts.
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Da Vinci's experimental technique caused the painting to deteriorate
Leonardo da Vinci's mural painting, The Last Supper, was completed in the late 15th century, between 1495 and 1498. The painting, housed in the refectory of the Convent of Santa Maria delle Grazie in Milan, Italy, is one of the most famous artworks in the world.
Da Vinci's chosen technique compromised the adhesion of the pigments to the wall. The paint began to flake within a few years of completion, and the painting continued to deteriorate due to factors such as steam, smoke, soot, and dampness from the monastery's kitchen and refectory. The effects of humidity were particularly detrimental as the painting was done on a thin exterior wall.
The painting's deterioration became evident in the early 16th century, with descriptions of it being "blurred and colorless" and reduced to a "muddle of blots." By the second half of the 16th century, it was described as "all ruined." Over the centuries, The Last Supper has undergone multiple restorations to slow its deterioration and preserve it for future generations. The most recent restoration, completed in 1999, has sparked controversy in the art world, with critics arguing that it has altered the original work.
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The painting has undergone several restorations
The Last Supper, painted by Leonardo da Vinci, is one of the most famous artworks in the world. Completed in the late 15th century, the mural is located in the refectory of the Convent of Santa Maria delle Grazie in Milan, Italy.
In the 19th century, the painting endured further damage when Napoleon's invading troops used the refectory as a stable, and a flood filled the refectory with two feet of water for 15 days, causing mould to cover the entire painting. In the 1850s, Stefano Barezzi was hired to work on the painting, and in 1908, Luigi Cavenaghi conducted the first analysis of the painting's chemical components.
The painting suffered its greatest catastrophe during World War II when an Allied bomb caused the roof and one wall of the refectory to collapse. The painting survived but was exposed to the elements for several months. Mauro Pellicioli undertook a clean-and-stabilise restoration between 1946 and 1954, and further restoration work was carried out in the 1970s and 1980s.
The most recent and extensive restoration took place between 1978 and 1999, with Pinin Brambilla Barcilon guiding a major project to stabilise the painting and reverse the damage caused by dirt and pollution. This restoration took 21 years and was completed in 1999, arousing considerable controversy due to the dramatic changes in colours, tones, and even some facial shapes.
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Frequently asked questions
The painting of the Last Supper was done in the 15th century, between 1494 and 1498 or 1495 and 1498.
The Last Supper was painted by Leonardo da Vinci.
The original Last Supper painting is located in the refectory of the Santa Maria delle Grazie convent in Milan, Italy.
Leonardo da Vinci used the fresco technique, painting on wet plaster. However, he painted on a dry wall, which caused the painting to flake within a few years.
Yes, the Last Supper has undergone several restorations to ensure its preservation. The most recent restoration took place in the late 20th century, from 1978 to 1999, and involved advanced scientific techniques to clean and repair the painting.
