"The Last Supper" - Leonardo da Vinci's Historic Masterpiece

For Christianity, it is one of the key moments of the New Testament: The Last Supper, where Jesus announces to his apostles that one among them would betray him. Leonardo da Vinci (1452 - 1519) created one of the most important works of art in human history with his depiction of this biblical scene in a mural. Today, da Vinci's Last Supper is among the most popular attractions in Milan. The church "Santa Maria delle Grazie", where the fresco can is displayed, welcomes around a thousand visitors daily. While da Vinci's "Last Supper" is not the first and only artistic realisation of this pictorial theme, it is undoubtedly the most famous.

Leonardo da Vinci - A Polymath Uniting Art and Science

"Mona Lisa", "The Last Supper" or "Salvator Mundi" - art history owes several significant works to Leonardo da Vinci. His artistic career began in Florence as a young apprentice to a painter and sculptor. At the age of 20, he was admitted to the Florentine painters' guild and established his own workshop.

However, da Vinci's interest extended far beyond art. He believed that art and science formed a unity. His curiosity and extensive knowledge manifested in numerous inventions and scientific writings. He designed various flying machines, vehicles, and mechanisms. He also conducted scientific research in the fields of biology and physics and was intensively involved in human anatomy. Additionally, he worked as an architect, governor, and geographer.

Due to his visionary interdisciplinary work, Leonardo da Vinci is regarded today as one of the most significant polymaths in human history. He left behind thousands of drawings, studies, and sketches. While he completed a relatively small number of paintings—a maximum of 15—they are enough to place him among the most important artists of the Renaissance.

The Story of the "Last Supper" Begins in 1494

The mural "The Last Supper" is one of Leonardo da Vinci's most renowned works. It depicts the twelve disciples at the moment when Jesus revealed that a traitor among them would betray him to the cross. This version of the motif is now one of the most well-known works of sacred art. Da Vinci received the commission for this work from the Milanese Duke Ludovico Sforza. He started the project in 1494 and took four years to complete the monumental work, measuring 4.22 x 9.04 meters, in the former refectory of the church.

Numerous sketches and studies preceded the fresco, where da Vinci experimented with details, the arrangement of the disciples, and their gestures. For the application of colours on the wall, he opted for an unusual method: Mural painters usually used the fresco technique, which involved painting directly onto the damp plaster. While this method was very durable, it did not allow any corrections to be made during the painting process.

To have the flexibility for corrections, da Vinci painted on the dry wall using a mixture of oil and tempera, similar to panel painting. This was a momentous decision. Although he now had more time to work out the details, this painting technique proved to be less durable and robust.

After just 20 years, the colours began to fade, and the first cracks and spots are said to have appeared. Shortly after its completion, "The Last Supper" became a restoration project.

"The Last Supper" - An Endless Restoration story

For a work of art over 500 years old, it is not surprising that time has left its mark. However, "The Last Supper" proved particularly susceptible due to the chosen technique and environmental conditions. The biggest problem was the moisture in the brick wall of the church. The building is located near a stream, and water was likely to run into it frequently. Additionally, the mural was close to the kitchen, exposing it to cooking vapours.

The first damages to the fresco were reportedly visible in the mid-16th century. This initiated a marathon of restoration efforts spanning many centuries. The first serious restoration attempt was in 1726, with another about 40 years later. Simultaneously, the mural faced new damage over time. Soldiers reportedly threw stones at the painting, and an 1821 attempt to remove the entire mural failed, further harming the artwork. In any case, the restoration attempts were not always favourable to the quality of the work. Some restorers added their own touch rather than solely restoring the original state.

The last major attempt at cleaning and restoration began in 1978 and lasted 21 years. Led by Pinin Brambilla Barcilon, this largest project to date reversed all overpainting. Measures were also introduced to protect the mural. Access to the room is now heavily regulated to reduce negative influences from breath and sweat, allowing a maximum of 15 visitors in the refectory at a time.

"The Last Supper" Significance: Myths and Opinions

As with many famous artworks, this artwork also offers ample room for interpretation. According to a widespread belief, da Vinci intended more than visualising the biblical text. Many researchers suggest that he chose this motif not for the sake of the biblical theme but to exemplify psychological and painterly techniques.

One of his main goals was believed to portray the various reactions of the disciples to Jesus' announcement of betrayal. The gestures and expressions of the apostles reflected how they received the message. Another interpretation sees the apostles as exemplifying different character types. Thus Bartholomew, James and Andrew represented apathy while Peter, Jude and John represented melancholy. Thomas, James, and Philip represented the cheerful and lively sanguine, while Matthew, Thaddeus and Simon represented the choleric.

A Canadian research team extensively studied the food on the long table. They suspect that they contain potential messages reflecting da Vinci's views on religion. Among other things, they focused on the overturned saltshaker, interpreting it as a symbol of misfortune. This could suggest that Judas did not act intentionally but merely fulfilled his predestined fate, making him a non-deliberate traitor.

Astrology also speculates on the message of the famous mural. Here, "The Last Supper" is seen as a representation of the solar system and the zodiac. Each apostle supposedly represents the characteristics of a specific zodiac sign. For example, Thomas corresponds to the sign of the Virgo, Peter to Sagittarius, and Judas to Scorpio. However, Jesus in the central position represents the sun illuminating the universe.

"The Last Supper" by da Vinci Has Been Quoted and Reproduced Countless Times

As one of the most renowned works in art history, da Vinci's "Last Supper" became a very popular motif for copies and quotations of all kinds. In the art trade, the mural often serves as a template for reproductions in the form of pictures, sculptures, or reliefs.

The motif also found its way into advertising. The car manufacturer Volkswagen, the fashion brand Otto Kern and the raki producer Yakamoz, among others, made more or less obvious references to the biblical scene in their advertising campaigns.

Moreover, many artists drew inspiration from the famous Milanese mural. In 1987, Pop Art superstar Andy Warhol adapted the motif for a series of his legendary silkscreen prints. The Surrealism enfant terrible, Salvador Dalì, incorporated the scene into one of his paintings in 1955. In 2023, the Chinese artist Ai Wei Wei recreated the Last Supper with Lego bricks. Additionally, in 2023, the event agency Fever brought a multimedia 360-degree exhibition of the mural to Frankfurt.

Significantly contributing to the mythmaking was Dan Brown's book "The Da Vinci Code", which was also adapted into a film, starring Tom Hanks. In this fictional thriller, the artwork is attributed a hidden message, and da Vinci is suggested to be a member of a secret society - which has not been proven. Ultimately, the diverse forms of reproductions, interpretations, and quotes highlight the enduring fascination that "The Last Supper" has exerted on audiences for centuries.