Isabella Flores
The Last Supper, painted by Leonardo da Vinci between 1494 and 1498, is considered one of the most important mural paintings in the world. The painting depicts the last supper of Jesus with the Twelve Apostles, capturing the moment after Jesus announces that one of his apostles will betray him. Leonardo's interpretation of simultaneous activity, his use of perspective, and his unique painting technique have made it one of the Western world's most recognizable paintings. The painting has undergone several restorations, including a 20-year restoration completed in 1999, which sparked controversy due to changes in colours, tones, and facial shapes. The Last Supper continues to be a subject of fascination for art historians and enthusiasts alike.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date | c. 1495–1498 |
| Artist | Leonardo da Vinci |
| Medium | Mural painting, oil on canvas |
| Location | Refectory of the Convent of Santa Maria delle Grazie, Milan, Italy |
| Subject | The Last Supper of Jesus with the Twelve Apostles, specifically the moment after Jesus announces that one of his apostles will betray him |
| Composition | Jesus is seated in the centre with the Apostles divided into three groups to his left and right |
| Style | High Renaissance |
| Technique | Da Vinci used a mix of tempera and oil paints on dry plaster, allowing him to work slowly and make changes |
| Vantage Point | Approximately 15 feet (4.57 meters) above ground |
| Perspective | The vanishing point is behind Christ's right temple, with sharp angling of the walls and windows showing the sky and hills beyond |
| Details | Da Vinci included hidden details such as musical notes and did not include a halo above Jesus' head, contrary to tradition |
| Restorations | The painting has undergone several restorations, including a 20–21-year restoration completed in 1999 that aroused controversy due to changes in colours, tones, and facial shapes |
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What You'll Learn
The painting's unique perspective
The Last Supper, painted by Leonardo da Vinci between 1494 and 1498, is considered one of the most important mural paintings in the world. It is renowned for its unique perspective and intricate details, which have captivated scholars and art enthusiasts alike.
One of the most striking aspects of The Last Supper is its use of perspective. Da Vinci employed a technique where he hammered a nail into the wall and tied a string to it to create a vanishing point, allowing him to mark the desired angles and lines for his composition. This method, combined with his understanding of mathematics and physics, resulted in a remarkable sense of depth and three-dimensional space on a flat surface. The sharp angling of the walls and the distant back wall with windows that show the sky and hills contribute to this effect.
The perspective construction is centred on Jesus, with the vanishing point located directly behind his right temple, symbolically pointing to the centre of his brain. This positioning of the vanishing point guides the viewer's focus to the central figure of Jesus, enhancing the impact of the composition.
Da Vinci's decision to omit the traditional halo around Jesus is another notable aspect of the painting. This departure from convention has been interpreted as a way to emphasise Jesus' humanity, suggesting that he will endure the pain and suffering of the Passion. Additionally, some scholars propose that the light from the window behind Jesus or the implied lines of the pediment above the window create an illusion of a halo, adding a subtle layer of symbolism to the composition.
The Last Supper also showcases Da Vinci's mastery of depicting human emotions and capturing movement. Each apostle displays a unique reaction to Jesus' announcement of his impending betrayal, with various degrees of anger and shock portrayed in their expressions and body language. This intricate portrayal of human emotion adds to the overall impact and complexity of the painting.
The painting has undergone several restorations, including a 20-year restoration process that ended in 1999. Despite the changes and damage the painting has endured, it remains a testament to Da Vinci's genius and a pivotal work in the history of art.
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Jesus' lack of a halo
The Last Supper, painted between 1494 and 1498, is considered perhaps the most important mural painting in the world. It depicts Jesus' final meal with his apostles before he was captured and crucified in Jerusalem. In the painting, Jesus is seated in the middle of the table, with 12 of his apostles on either side.
Leonardo da Vinci's interpretation of the scene is unique in that he chose not to include a halo above Jesus' head, breaking with the tradition of earlier artists who had depicted Jesus and his disciples with halo-like speckles, indicating their sainthood. Da Vinci's decision to omit the halo has been interpreted in several ways by scholars and art historians.
One interpretation suggests that the light from the window behind Jesus serves the role of a halo, or that the implied lines of the pediment above the window create the illusion of one. This interpretation adds to the dramatic effect of the scene, with the light possibly signifying divine presence or guidance.
Another interpretation suggests that the absence of a halo signifies Jesus' humanity and mortality. By not including the customary halo, da Vinci may have been suggesting that Jesus was a human being who would endure the pain and suffering of the Passion. This interpretation is supported by art historian Taddei, who claims that da Vinci saw the people in the painting as "simple men," implying that Jesus was mortal.
Da Vinci's decision to omit the halo can also be understood in the context of his belief system. Some art historians believe that da Vinci believed in nature, not in God. To him, nature was God, so he treated every character in the painting as common people, without any supernatural or extraterrestrial elements.
Finally, da Vinci's choice to break with traditional representation may have been a result of his experimental and innovative approach to art. Known for his multifaceted genius, da Vinci was interested in light, sound, movement, and human emotions during the period he worked on The Last Supper. His decision to omit the halo may have been an attempt to depict his subjects more naturally and express his ideas about divinity and humanity through subtle artistic choices.
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The apostles' reactions
The Last Supper, painted by Leonardo da Vinci between 1494 and 1498, is considered one of the most important mural paintings in the world. The painting depicts the last supper of Jesus with the Twelve Apostles, capturing the moment after Jesus announces that one of his apostles will betray him. The apostles' reactions to this shocking news are a key element of the painting, and they can be divided into three distinct groups based on their responses.
The first group, located on the far left of the painting, includes Bartholomew, James, and Andrew. They are clearly taken aback by Jesus' revelation and express their skepticism. James, in particular, points to Jesus as he speaks, while Bartholomew jumps up from the table, conveying their shock and disbelief.
The second group, placed to the left of Jesus, includes Peter, Judas, and John. This trio contains the most crucial characters in the painting. Peter and John are depicted in a conversation, distracted from the weight of Jesus' words. Judas, on the other hand, leans back into the shadow, reaching for a piece of bread, unaware that Jesus is also stretching out his hand towards it.
The third group, located just to the left of Jesus, consists of Thomas, James Major, and Philip. Thomas, known for his need to confirm Jesus' resurrection by touching his wounds, points his finger upward, perhaps alluding to his doubts or seeking answers. James Major, with arms extended, and Philip, who speaks to Jesus with hands on his chest, appear perplexed and uncertain, reflecting the emotional turmoil of the moment.
Da Vinci's masterful composition captures the individual reactions and emotions of each apostle, contributing to the overall sense of drama and intrigue in the scene. The painting's use of perspective, with sharp angling of the walls and windows, further enhances the impact of the apostles' reactions, inviting viewers to imagine themselves within the intense and uncertain atmosphere of the Last Supper.
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Da Vinci's technique
The Last Supper, painted between 1494 and 1498, is considered one of the most important mural paintings in the world. It is a testament to Leonardo da Vinci's genius, curiosity, and urge to experiment. Da Vinci's technique for this masterpiece was unconventional and complex, reflecting his innovative approach to art.
Firstly, Da Vinci chose to paint on dry plaster rather than using the traditional fresco technique, which involves painting on wet plaster. This decision allowed him to work slowly and make changes as he progressed. By painting on dry plaster, he could take his time and perfect the details, ensuring that the painting captured the look of an oil painting. This method, described by Cennino Cennini in the 14th century, was considered riskier than fresco painting.
Da Vinci used an oil/tempera mix as his medium, applying it to the dry wall. Tempera is typically used for panel painting, and by using it on a wall, Da Vinci introduced a unique element to his work. He first sealed the stone wall with a double layer of gesso, pitch, and mastic, then added an undercoat of white lead to enhance the brightness of the tempera. This technique, while innovative, contributed to the painting's deterioration over time, as the paint failed to adhere properly to the wall.
The painting showcases Da Vinci's mastery of perspective and composition. He employed linear perspective, a technique that uses parallel lines converging at a single vanishing point to create the illusion of depth on a flat surface. The vanishing point is strategically placed at Jesus' right temple, drawing viewers' attention to the central figure. The composition is carefully balanced, with Jesus at the centre, forming a triangle-like shape with his body, and the apostles arranged in groups of three on either side.
The emotional reactions and psychological states of the figures are another significant aspect of Da Vinci's technique. Each apostle's face reflects emotions such as love, fear, indignation, or grief at not knowing who will betray Christ. Judas, the betrayer, is shadowed, with only part of his face visible as he clutches the money bag. This exploration of human emotions was groundbreaking for the time and marked the beginning of the High Renaissance, when virtuosity and innovative figure depiction reached new heights.
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The painting's condition and restoration
The Last Supper, painted between 1494 and 1498, is considered perhaps the most important mural painting globally. It is located in the refectory of the Convent of Santa Maria delle Grazie in Milan, Italy. The painting underwent an extensive and controversial 20-year restoration that was completed in 1999.
The Last Supper has suffered centuries of maltreatment and has endured several restoration attempts, some of which have caused damage and disfiguration. The first recorded restoration attempt was in 1726, when Michelangelo Bellotti, a painter, was hired to work on the piece. Bellotti filled in cracked and peeling areas with new tempera paint and covered the work with a layer of oil, hiding most of the original paint under his restoration. This intervention was criticised, and subsequent restorers attempted to remove Bellotti's additions.
In the centuries that followed, various restorers attempted to clean the painting, fill in damaged areas, and apply new plaster. However, these early restoration efforts often involved painting over Da Vinci's work, leading to a buildup of paint and distortion of the original details and figures. By the nineteenth century, Charles Dickens criticised the state of the painting, noting that it had been "so retouched upon, and repainted, and that, so clumsily, that many of the heads are, now, positive deformities".
The painting suffered significant damage during World War II when an Allied bomb caused the roof and one wall of the refectory to collapse, exposing the painting to the elements for several months. In 1947, restorer Mauro Pelliccioli was appointed to complete a radical cleaning of the painting and attempted to rebind the paint to the wall using shellac and casein. Between 1951 and 1954, Pelliccioli focused on reversing the work completed during the 18th century and restoring the piece to its earliest state, revealing many of Leonardo's original details.
In 1978, Italian authorities embarked on a major restoration project with two main aims: to protect the painting from further deterioration and to restore Da Vinci's original work by removing years of built-up grime and earlier restoration attempts. Art restorer Pinin Brambilla Barcilon led this twenty-year project, carefully cleaning the painting's surface using specialised strips dipped in solvents. Despite praise for her work, Pinin's restoration was also controversial, as some argued that removing past historical restorations erased part of the painting's history and legacy.
The most recent extensive restoration took place in 1977, utilising modern technology such as microscopic photographs, core samples, infrared reflectoscopy, and sonar to remove added layers of paint and reveal Da Vinci's original work. This restoration effort preserved 42.5% of Da Vinci's work, but the painting remains extremely faded and blurry due to tiny paint flakes that have chipped off over time.
Today, visitors can view The Last Supper at Santa Maria delle Grazie in Milan, with measures in place to minimise overcrowding and protect the painting from pollution.
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Frequently asked questions
The Last Supper is a mural painting by the Italian High Renaissance artist Leonardo da Vinci, dated to c. 1495–1498.
The Last Supper is considered perhaps the most important mural painting in the world. It is one of the Western world's most recognizable paintings and among Leonardo's most celebrated works. It is renowned for its handling of space, mastery of perspective, treatment of motion and complex display of human emotion.
The painting depicts the last supper of Jesus with the Twelve Apostles, as told in the Gospel of John. It captures the moment after Jesus announces that one of his apostles will betray him, with each apostle reacting differently to the news.
The painting is housed in the refectory of the Convent of Santa Maria delle Grazie in Milan, Italy.
The Last Supper underwent an extensive and controversial 20-year restoration that was completed in 1999. The restoration team used microscopic photographs, core samples, infrared reflectoscopy, and sonar to remove the added layers of paint and restore the original as accurately as possible.
