Who is the author of the painting The Last Supper? Leonardo da Vinci - The Last Supper

Date of creation: 1495-1497.
Type: tempera.
Dimensions: 460*880 cm.

last supper

One of famous masters Renaissance received an order for a large-scale fresco depicting the Last Supper in the refectory of the Church of Santa Maria Grazie in Milan. It is obvious that Lodovico Sforza was the initiator of this order, since he wished to make a generous gift to the Dominican brotherhood. The coat of arms of the Sforza family can be seen in the arch located above the room where the Last Supper takes place.

Philip, Matthew, Judas Thaddeus.

In the first sketches of the composition, Vinci intended to depict the moment of handing over a piece of bread to Judas, which meant that Christ would be betrayed by this particular apostle. However, in the version that has come down to us, the concept has been changed. The master does not depict a fragment of Christ's Holy Week. Thanks to what scholars know about the preparatory phase of the fresco's creation, it is clear that Leonardo, in the final version of the work, chose to depict the moment of Judas's identification as a traitor.

Bartholomew, James the Younger, Andrew.

The painting depicts Christ at the Easter meal with the apostles. In the room behind Christ and the apostles there are three windows, from which a view of the surrounding landscape opens. Leonardo meticulously painted distant trees and hills: this landscape is reminiscent of Milanese landscapes. The artist managed to achieve the effect of a three-dimensional image by making the table part of the refectory wall. As it is written in the Gospel (Matthew 26: 17-29), the table for this supper was set with Passover dishes, fruits and wine. In Leonardo's fresco there are dishes with eel and oranges - the artist's favorite food. All the apostles sit along the table, on the side opposite from the viewer, which makes it possible to observe even their shoes under the table. The tablecloth is painted realistically and the dishes standing on it, to the right and left of the table, the edges of the tablecloth hang in exactly the same way.

Simon Peter (behind), Judas, John.

Leonardo divides 12 figures into 4 subgroups, three people each, creating a canvas where each of the heroes has individual traits: They shout, talk, turn around, their faces express disbelief and confusion. The variety of angles, poses and gestures resemble an illustration of the physical laws of optics and dynamics. Like a drop falling into a stationary container of water, the words about the betrayal of one of the apostles upset the state of balance. This analogy, coupled with research into Leonardo’s optics, makes us consider the fresco as a combination of scientific achievements and visual arts.

Thomas, James the Elder, Philip.

Christ

The figure of Christ is located in the center of the picture, as always in paintings on gospel story. Leonardo depicts him as a young man. The calm expression on his face evokes surprise and distrust among the apostles that one of those gathered at this table would betray him. Leonardo conveys precisely this moment of the meal, contrasting the peace of Jesus with the excitement of his disciples, who look at each other, gesticulate, wondering which of them could decide to do this. Every now and then they turn to Christ with the question: “Isn’t it me, Lord?..” - and with a shudder of heart they wait for the answer. Leonardo places the figure of Christ in the center of the table. All the compositional lines of the picture converge at one point - towards the head of Christ, creating a centripetal perspective.

Arch

The central arch depicts the coat of arms of Lodovico Sforza and his wife, the inscription reads: LU(dovicus) MA(ria) BE(atrix) EST(ensis) SF(ortia) AN(glus) DUX (mediolani). In the arch on the left is the coat of arms of Lodovico's son Massimiliano with text. The text in the right arch is adjacent to the coat of arms of the Duke of Bari, belonging to Lodovico's second son, Francesco.

Fresco in our time

Fatal mistakes in early attempts to restore the painting had a detrimental effect on both the original colors of the fresco and on the expressions of faces and the outlines of figures. But the latest stage marked a new milestone in restoration methodology, and also shed light on some of the details hidden under the layers of paint applied after Leonardo put down his brush. In addition, it became known about complex experiments with lighting, about conceptual ideas regarding perspective.

Of course, a work of such scale, such elaboration and importance for both art and science, asks more questions than it answers, and also deserves a more detailed acquaintance with itself. Historians and art historians devote their lives to researching the masterpiece, gradually revealing some of the secrets of the fresco, but all the riddles and messages of the great Leonardo are unlikely to be deciphered.

Fresco "The Last Supper" updated: September 12, 2017 by: Gleb

Number 3

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.

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Figure

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.

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Gesture

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 he does. Judas reaches for the dish, not noticing that Jesus is also reaching for him. right hand. At the same time, Jesus points to bread and wine, which symbolize the sinless body and shed blood respectively.

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Analysis

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. Majority previous works on this topic they excluded Judas, placing him alone at the part of the table opposite to the one at which the other eleven apostles and Jesus were sitting, 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.

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 the picture passes golden ratio; for example, where Jesus and John, who is on his right, put their hands, the canvas is divided in this ratio.

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Simon the Canaanite

Information in the Gospels about Simon the Canaanite is extremely scarce. He is mentioned in the lists of the apostles in the Gospel of Matthew (Matthew 10:4), Mark (Mark 3:18), Luke (Luke 6:15), as well as in the Acts of the Apostles (Acts 1:13). He is called Simon the Zealot or Simon the Zealot to distinguish him from Simon Peter. The New Testament does not provide any other information about the apostle. The nickname Zealot is sometimes interpreted as a commitment to Jewish nationalism (Zealots).

Simon the Canaanite is identified with the half-brother (from Joseph and Salome) of Jesus Christ, who celebrated the wedding in Cana of Galilee, where Jesus turned water into wine. He is identified with Simeon, an apostle of the 70, who became the second bishop of Jerusalem after the execution of James the Righteous.

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Apostle Thaddeus

Brother of Jacob Alpheus, son of Alpheus or Cleopas.

Mentioned in the lists of the apostles in the Gospels of Luke (Luke 6:16) and John (John 14:22); and also in the Acts of the Apostles (Acts 1:13). In the Gospel of John, Judas asks Jesus at the Last Supper about his upcoming resurrection. Moreover, he is called “Judas, not Iscariot” to distinguish him from Judas, the traitor. According to legend, the Apostle Jude preached in Palestine, Arabia, Syria and Mesopotamia, and died a martyr’s death in Armenia in the second half of the 1st century AD. e. The alleged grave is located on the territory of the Armenian monastery of St. Thaddeus in northwestern Iran. Part of the relics of the holy apostle resides in the Vatican in St. Peter's Basilica.

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Levi Matthew

The only reliable fact reported by the Gospels is that Matthew Levi was a tax collector, that is, a tax collector. In the text of the Gospel of Matthew, the apostle is called “Matthew the Publican,” which perhaps indicates the author’s humility, since publicans were deeply despised by the Jews.

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Apostle Philip

Mentioned in the lists of apostles in Matthew (10:3), Mark (3:18), Luke (6:14), and also in the Acts of the Apostles (1:13).

The Gospel of John reports that Philip was from Bethsaida, from the same city as Andrew and Peter, and was called third after them. Philip brought Nathanael (Bartholomew) to Jesus (John 1:43-46). On the pages of the Gospel of John, Philip appears three more times: he talks with Jesus about bread for the multitude (John 6:5-7); brings Greeks (Hellenized Jews) to Jesus (John 12:20-22); asks Jesus at the Last Supper to show the Father (John 14:8-9).

Mentioned in the Acts of the Apostles, Philip the Deacon or Philip the Evangelist is another person, the namesake of the Apostle Philip.

Eusebius of Caesarea cites a report from Clement of Alexandria that Philip was married and had daughters, with whom Papias was also acquainted. Philip preached the Gospel in Scythia and Phrygia. For his preaching activities he was executed (crucified head down) in the year 80 (during the reign of the Roman Emperor Titus in the city of Hierapolis Phrygian, in Asia Minor.

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Jacob Zebedee

An apostle of Jesus Christ mentioned in the New Testament. Son of Zebedee, born in Palestine, was killed in 44 in Jerusalem. Elder brother of John the Evangelist.

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Apostle Thomas

Thomas was chosen by Christ as one of the twelve apostles, as the evangelists Matthew, Mark and Luke tell us. However, they only mention the name of Thomas among the names of the other apostles.

On the contrary, John the Theologian informs us of Thomas's participation in several events in the gospel story, including Thomas's assurance. According to the Gospel of John, Thomas was absent during the first appearance of Jesus Christ to the other apostles after the Resurrection from the dead and, having learned from them that Jesus had risen from the dead and came to them, he said: “If I do not see the wounds of the nails in His hands, I will not put I will not put my finger into the wound of the nails, and I will not put my hand into His side, I will not believe.” Appearing to the apostles again, Jesus invited Thomas to put his finger into the wounds, after which Thomas believed and said: “My Lord and my God!”

The Gospel narrative leaves it unclear whether Thomas actually put his finger into Christ’s wounds or not. According to some theologians, Thomas refused to do this, while others believe that Thomas touched the wounds of Christ.

The expression “Doubting Thomas” (or “infidel”) has become a common noun and denotes an incredulous listener. The plot of Thomas's assurance has become a popular subject in gospel iconography.

Based on the story of the appearance of Jesus Christ to the apostles on the Sea of ​​Galilee, it can be assumed that the Apostle Thomas was originally a fisherman.

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John the Theologian

One of the Twelve Apostles, son of Zebedee, also called the Theologian, evangelist, brother of the Apostle James. In the Gospel of Mark, together with his brother, Jesus is nicknamed “Son of Thunder” (Boanerges).

The Church Fathers considered him to be the same person as John the Evangelist, the "Beloved Disciple", although modern theologians and biblical scholars have no consensus regarding the identity of these people.

According to the tradition of most Christian denominations, the Apostle John is the author of the Gospel, the Book of Revelation and three messages included in the New Testament.

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Apostle Peter

Born in Bethsaida in the family of a simple fisherman Jonah. The original name of the apostle was Simon (Hebrew: Shimon). The name Peter (Petrus, from the Greek πέτρος - stone) arose from the nickname Cephas (Aramic - stone), which Jesus gave him. He was married and worked as a fisherman with his brother Andrey. When Jesus met Peter and Andrew, he said, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.”

Having become a disciple of Jesus Christ, he accompanied him in all the paths of his earthly life. Peter was one of Jesus' favorite disciples. When Jesus asked the disciples what they thought about Him, Peter said that He was “the Christ, the Son of the living God.”

By nature, Peter was very lively and hot-tempered: it was he who wanted to walk on water to approach Jesus, and it was he who cut off the ear of the high priest’s servant in the Garden of Gethsemane. On the night after Jesus was arrested, Peter, as Jesus predicted, showed weakness and, fearing persecution, denied Him three times before the rooster crowed (see also the servant of the doorkeeper). But later Peter sincerely repented and was forgiven by the Lord.

Together with James and John, he was present on Mount Tabor when the transfiguration of Jesus took place.

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Judas Iscariot

Among the apostles, Judas was in charge of their money, and then betrayed Jesus Christ for 30 pieces of silver.

After Jesus Christ was sentenced to crucifixion, Judas repented and returned the 30 pieces of silver to the high priests and elders, saying: “I have sinned by betraying innocent blood.” They said to him: “What is that to us?” And, throwing away the pieces of silver in the Temple, Judas went and hanged himself.

After the betrayal and suicide of Judas Iscariot, Jesus' disciples decided to choose a new apostle to replace Judas. They chose two candidates: “Joseph, called Barsaba, who was called Justus, and Matthias,” and after praying to God to indicate whom to make an apostle, they cast lots. The lot fell to Matthias, and he was numbered among the Apostles.

The name Judas became a common noun to denote betrayal.

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Andrew the First-Called

In the life of the Holy Apostle Andrew the First-Called, it is mentioned that Andrew and his brother Simon (the future St. Peter) were Galilean fishermen, born and raised in Bethsaida (a city on the shore of Lake Gennesaret); their father's name was Jonah. Having matured, the brothers moved to Capernaum, where they acquired their own home and continued to fish.

Even in his youth, Andrei decided to devote himself to serving God. Maintaining chastity, he refused to marry. Hearing that on the Jordan River John the Baptist was preaching about the coming of the Messiah and calling for repentance, Andrei left everything and went to him. Soon the young man became John the Baptist's closest disciple.

The evangelists Matthew and John describe Andrew's meeting with Jesus differently.

Saint Andrew is called the First-Called because he was called the first of the apostles and disciples of Jesus Christ.

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Jacob Alfeev

An apostle of Jesus Christ mentioned in the New Testament. Brother of the Apostle Judas Jacob, possibly brother of the Apostle and Evangelist Matthew. In the three Gospels his name is given in the list of twelve, but no other information is given about him.

According to his life, Jacob was a publican, preached in Judea, and then, together with the Apostle Andrew, went to Edessa. Afterwards he independently preached in Gaza and Eleutheropolis (Southern Palestine).

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Apostle Bartholomew

According to legend, Bartholomew, together with Philip, preached in the cities of Asia Minor, especially in connection with the name of the Apostle Bartholomew, the city of Hierapolis is mentioned. Tradition also reports about his trip to India and preaching in Armenia, where on Artashat Hill he met with the Apostle Judas Thaddeus ( armenian church honors them as its founders). Eusebius of Caesarea reports that in India Bartholomew left the Gospel of Matthew in Hebrew to the community he founded, which was found by the philosopher Panten, a teacher at the School of Alexandria

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About the picture

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 certain, since "the archives of the monastery were destroyed, and the negligible 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.

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Leonardo da Vinci is the most mysterious and unstudied personality of past years. Some ascribe to him a gift from God and canonize him as a saint, while others, on the contrary, consider him an atheist who sold his soul to the devil. But the genius of the great Italian is undeniable, since everything that the hand of the great painter and engineer ever touched was instantly filled with hidden meaning. Today we will talk about famous work"The Last Supper" and the many secrets it hides.

Location and history of creation:

The famous fresco is located in the church of Santa Maria delle Grazie, located in the square of the same name in Milan. Or rather, on one of the walls of the refectory. According to historians, the artist specifically depicted in the picture exactly the same table and dishes that were in the church at that time. By this he tried to show that Jesus and Judas (good and evil) are much closer to people than they seem.

The painter received the order to paint the work from his patron, the Duke of Milan Ludovico Sforza in 1495. The ruler was famous for his dissolute life and youth was surrounded by young bacchantes. The situation did not change at all because the Duke had a beautiful and modest wife, Beatrice d’Este, who sincerely loved her husband and, due to her meek disposition, could not contradict his way of life. It must be admitted that Ludovico Sforza sincerely revered his wife and was attached to her in his own way. But the dissolute duke felt the true power of love only at the moment of the sudden death of his wife. The man's grief was so great that he did not leave his room for 15 days. And when he came out, the first thing he did was order a fresco from Leonardo da Vinci, which his late wife had once asked for, and forever stopped all entertainment at court.

Pictured is the Church of Santa Maria delle Grazie.

The work was completed in 1498. Its dimensions were 880 by 460 cm. Many connoisseurs of the artist’s work agreed that “The Last Supper” can best be viewed if you move 9 meters to the side and rise 3.5 meters up. Moreover, there is something to see. Already during the author's lifetime, the fresco was considered his best work. Although, calling the painting a fresco would be incorrect. The fact is that Leonardo da Vinci wrote the work not on wet plaster, but on dry plaster, in order to be able to edit it several times. To do this, the artist applied a thick layer of egg tempra to the wall, which subsequently did a disservice, beginning to collapse just 20 years after the painting was painted. But more on that later.

The photo shows the Last Supper in the refectory.

Idea of ​​the piece:

“The Last Supper” depicts the last Easter dinner of Jesus Christ with his disciples and apostles, held in Jerusalem on the eve of his arrest by the Romans. According to scripture, Jesus said during a meal that one of the apostles would betray him. Leonardo da Vinci tried to depict the reaction of each of the students to the prophetic phrase of the Teacher. To do this, he walked around the city, talked with ordinary people, made them laugh, upset them, and encouraged them. And at the same time he observed the emotions on their faces. The author's goal was to depict the famous dinner from a purely human point of view. That is why he depicted everyone present in a row and did not draw a halo above anyone’s head (as other artists liked to do)

Pictured: Sketch of the Last Supper

1. According to historians, Leonardo da Vinci had the hardest time writing two characters: Jesus and Judas. The artist tried to make them the embodiment of good and evil, so for a long time he could not find suitable models. One day, an Italian saw a young singer in a church choir - so spiritual and pure that there was no doubt: here he was - the prototype of Jesus for his “Last Supper”. But, despite the fact that the image of the Teacher was painted, Leonardo da Vinci corrected it for a long time, considering it insufficiently perfect.

The last unwritten character in the picture was Judas. The artist spent hours wandering through the worst places, looking for a model to paint among the degraded people. And now, almost 3 years later, he got lucky. An absolutely deranged guy was lying in a ditch, in a state of severe alcoholic intoxication. The artist ordered him to be brought to the studio. The man could hardly stand on his feet and had no idea where he was. However, after the image of Judas was painted, the drunkard approached the picture and admitted that he had already seen it before. To the author’s bewilderment, the man replied that three years ago he was completely different, led a correct lifestyle and sang in the church choir. It was then that some artist approached him with a proposal to paint Christ from him. So, according to historians, Jesus and Judas were copied from the same person in different periods his life. This once again emphasizes the fact that good and evil go so close that sometimes the line between them is imperceptible.

By the way, while working, Leonardo da Vinci was distracted by the abbot of the monastery, who constantly hurried the artist and argued that he should paint a picture for days, and not stand in front of it in thought. One day the painter could not stand it and promised the abbot to write off Judas from him if he did not stop interfering in creative process.

The photo shows Jesus and Mary Magdalene.

2. The most discussed secret of the fresco is the figure of the disciple located at the right hand of Christ. It is believed that this is none other than Mary Magdalene and her location indicates the fact that she was not Jesus' mistress, as is commonly believed, but his legal wife. This fact is confirmed by the letter “M”, which is formed by the contours of the couple’s bodies. Supposedly it means the word “Matrimonio”, which translated means “marriage”. Some historians argue with this statement and insist that Leonardo da Vinci's signature - the letter "V" - is visible in the painting. The first statement is supported by the mention that Mary Magdalene washed Christ’s feet and dried them with her hair. According to traditions, only a legal wife could do this. Moreover, it is believed that the woman was pregnant at the time of her husband’s execution and subsequently gave birth to a daughter, Sarah, who marked the beginning of the Merovingian dynasty.

3. Some scholars argue that the unusual arrangement of the students in the picture 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 virgin.

Pictured is Mary Magdalene

4. It is impossible not to mention the fact that during the bombing during the Second World War, a shell that hit the church building destroyed almost everything except the wall on which the fresco was depicted. Although, the people themselves not only did not take care of the work, but also treated it in a truly barbaric manner. In 1500, a flood in the church caused irreparable damage to the painting. But instead of restoring the masterpiece, in 1566 the monks made a door in the wall depicting the Last Supper, which “cut off” the characters’ legs. 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. The already dilapidated fresco was covered with manure, and the French competed with each other: who would hit the head of one of the apostles with a brick. However, The Last Supper also had fans. The French king Francis I was so impressed by the work that he seriously thought about how to transport it to his home.

The photo shows the Last Supper fresco.

5. No less interesting are the thoughts of historians about the food depicted on the table. For example, near Judas Leonardo da Vinci depicted an overturned salt shaker (which at all times was considered bad omen), as well as an empty plate. But the biggest point of controversy is still the fish in the picture. Contemporaries still cannot agree on what is painted on the fresco - a herring or an eel. Scientists believe that this ambiguity is not accidental. The artist specially encrypted in the painting hidden meaning. The fact is that in Italian “eel” is pronounced “aringa”. We add one more letter, and we get a completely different word - “arringa” (instruction). At the same time, the word "herring" is pronounced in northern Italy as "renga", which means "one who denies religion." For the atheist artist, the second interpretation is closer.

As you can see, in one single picture there are hidden many secrets and understatements, which more than one generation has been struggling to uncover. Many of them will remain unsolved.

Secrets of Leonardo da Vinci's fresco "The Last Supper"

Leonardo da Vinci- the most mysterious and unstudied personality of past years. Some ascribe to him a gift from God and canonize him as a saint, while others, on the contrary, consider him an atheist who sold his soul to the devil. But the genius of the great Italian is undeniable, since everything that the hand of the great painter and engineer ever touched was instantly filled with hidden meaning. Today we will talk about the famous work "Last Supper" and the many secrets it hides.

~~~~~~~~~~~



last supper


Location and history of creation

The famous fresco is in the church Santa Maria delle Grazie, located on the square of the same name in Milan. Or rather, on one of the walls of the refectory. According to historians, the artist specifically depicted in the picture exactly the same table and dishes that were in the church at that time. By this he tried to show that Jesus and Judas (good and evil) are much closer to people than they seem.


Church of Santa Maria delle Grazie


The painter received an order to paint the work from his patron, the Duke of Milan. Ludovico Sforza in 1495. The ruler was famous for his dissolute life and from a young age was surrounded by young bacchantes. The situation did not change at all because the Duke had a beautiful and modest wife. Beatrice d'Este, who sincerely loved her husband and, due to her meek disposition, could not contradict his way of life. It must be admitted that Ludovico Sforza sincerely revered his wife and was attached to her in his own way. But the dissolute duke felt the true power of love only at the moment of the sudden death of his wife. The man's grief was so great that he did not leave his room for 15 days. And when he came out, the first thing he did was order a fresco from Leonardo da Vinci, which his late wife had once asked for, and forever stopped all entertainment at court.


Last Supper in the refectory


The work was completed in 1498. Its dimensions were 880 by 460 cm. Many connoisseurs of the artist’s work agreed that “The Last Supper” can best be viewed if you move 9 meters to the side and rise 3.5 meters up. Moreover, there is something to see. Already during the author’s lifetime, the fresco was considered his best work. Although, calling the painting a fresco would be incorrect. The fact is that Leonardo da Vinci wrote the work not on wet plaster, but on dry plaster, in order to be able to edit it several times. To do this, the artist applied a thick layer of egg tempra to the wall, which subsequently did a disservice, beginning to collapse just 20 years after the painting was painted. But more on that later.

Idea of ​​the work

“The Last Supper” depicts the last Easter dinner of Jesus Christ with his disciples and apostles, held in Jerusalem on the eve of his arrest by the Romans. According to scripture, Jesus said during a meal that one of the apostles would betray him. Leonardo da Vinci tried to depict the reaction of each of the students to the prophetic phrase of the Teacher. To do this, he walked around the city, talked to ordinary people, made them laugh, upset them, and encouraged them. And at the same time he observed the emotions on their faces. The author's goal was to depict the famous dinner from a purely human point of view. That is why he depicted everyone present in a row and did not draw a halo above anyone’s head (as other artists liked to do).


Sketch of the Last Supper


Interesting Facts

Now we have reached the most interesting part of the article: the secrets and features hidden in the work of the great author.


Jesus on the Last Supper fresco


1 . According to historians, Leonardo da Vinci had the hardest time writing two characters: Jesus and Judas. The artist tried to make them the embodiment of good and evil, so for a long time he could not find suitable models. One day, an Italian saw a young singer in a church choir - so spiritual and pure that there was no doubt: here he was - the prototype of Jesus for his “Last Supper”. But, despite the fact that the image of the Teacher was painted, Leonardo da Vinci corrected it for a long time, considering it insufficiently perfect.

The last unwritten character in the picture was Judas. The artist spent hours wandering through the worst places, looking for a model to paint among the degraded people. And now, almost 3 years later, he got lucky. An absolutely deranged guy was lying in a ditch, in a state of severe alcoholic intoxication. The artist ordered him to be brought to the studio. The man could hardly stand on his feet and had no idea where he was. However, after the image of Judas was painted, the drunkard approached the picture and admitted that he had already seen it before. To the author’s bewilderment, the man replied that three years ago he was completely different, led a correct lifestyle and sang in the church choir. It was then that some artist approached him with a proposal to paint Christ from him. Thus, according to historians, Jesus and Judas were based on the same person at different periods of his life. This once again emphasizes the fact that good and evil go so close that sometimes the line between them is imperceptible.

By the way, while working, Leonardo da Vinci was distracted by the abbot of the monastery, who constantly hurried the artist and argued that he should paint a picture for days, and not stand in front of it in thought. One day the painter could not stand it and promised the abbot to write off Judas from him if he did not stop interfering in the creative process.


Jesus and Mary Magdalene


2. The most discussed secret of the fresco is the figure of the disciple located at the right hand of Christ. It is believed that this is none other than Mary Magdalene and her location indicates the fact that she was not Jesus' mistress, as is commonly believed, but his legal wife. This fact is confirmed by the letter “M”, which is formed by the contours of the couple’s bodies. Supposedly it means the word “Matrimonio”, which translated means “marriage”. Some historians argue with this statement and insist that Leonardo da Vinci's signature - the letter "V" - is visible in the painting. The first statement is supported by the mention that Mary Magdalene washed Christ’s feet and dried them with her hair. According to traditions, only a legal wife could do this. Moreover, it is believed that the woman was pregnant at the time of her husband’s execution and subsequently gave birth to a daughter, Sarah, who marked the beginning of the Merovingian dynasty.

3. Some scholars argue that the unusual arrangement of the students in the painting 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 virgin.


Mary Magdalene


4. It is impossible not to mention the fact that during the bombing during the Second World War, a shell hit the church building, destroying almost everything except the wall on which the fresco was depicted. Although, the people themselves not only did not take care of the work, but also treated it in a truly barbaric manner. In 1500, a flood in the church caused irreparable damage to the painting. But instead of restoring the masterpiece, in 1566 the monks made a door in the wall depicting the Last Supper, which “cut off” the characters’ legs. 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. The already dilapidated fresco was covered with manure, and the French competed with each other: who would hit the head of one of the apostles with a brick. However, The Last Supper also had fans. The French king Francis I was so impressed by the work that he seriously thought about how to transport it to his home.


Fresco Last Supper


5. No less interesting are the thoughts of historians about the food depicted on the table. For example, near Judas Leonardo da Vinci depicted an overturned salt shaker (which at all times was considered a bad omen), as well as an empty plate. But the biggest point of controversy is still the fish in the picture. Contemporaries still cannot agree on what is painted on the fresco - a herring or an eel. Scientists believe that this ambiguity is not accidental. The artist specifically encrypted the hidden meaning in the painting. The fact is that in Italian “eel” is pronounced “aringa”. We add one more letter, and we get a completely different word - “arringa” (instruction). At the same time, the word "herring" is pronounced in northern Italy as "renga", which means "one who denies religion." For the atheist artist, the second interpretation is closer.

As you can see, in one single picture there are many secrets and understatements hidden, which more than one generation has been struggling to uncover. Many of them will remain unsolved. And contemporaries will only have to speculate and repeat the masterpiece of the great Italian in paint, marble, sand, trying to extend the life of the fresco.

"Culturology"

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