The Last Supper years of creation. The story of one masterpiece: “The Last Supper” by da Vinci

On Easter Eve, April 15, the great Italian artist, sculptor, architect, scientist and engineer Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519) would have turned 557 years old.

Leonardo's most famous work is the famous “ last supper” in the Dominican monastery of Santa Maria delle Grazie in Milan - was executed between 1495 - 1497.
Leonardo's brush captured the last joint meal (dinner) of Jesus Christ and the twelve apostles on the eve of the day ( Good Friday) death on the cross of Christ.

"The Last Supper" by Leonardo da Vinci (1495-1497) before restoration
Leonardo prepared carefully and for a long time for the Milan painting. He completed many sketches in which he studied the poses and gestures of individual figures. “The Last Supper” attracted him not for its dogmatic content, but for the opportunity to unfold a big picture before the viewer. human drama, show different characters, reveal peace of mind person and accurately and clearly describe his experiences. He perceived the Last Supper as a scene of betrayal and set himself the goal of bringing traditional image that dramatic beginning, thanks to which it would acquire a completely new emotional sound.

While pondering the concept of “The Last Supper,” Leonardo not only made sketches, but also wrote down his thoughts about the actions of individual participants in this scene: “The one who drank and put the cup in its place turns his head to the speaker, the other connects the fingers of both hands and with frowning eyebrows looks at his companion, the other shows the palms of his hands, raises his shoulders to his ears and expresses surprise with his mouth..." The record does not indicate the names of the apostles, but Leonardo, apparently, clearly imagined the actions of each of them and the place to which each was called borrow in general composition. Refining poses and gestures in his drawings, he looked for forms of expression that would draw all the figures into a single whirlpool of passions. He wanted to capture living people in the images of the apostles, each of whom responded in their own way to the current event.

“The Last Supper” is Leonardo’s most mature and complete work.
In this painting, the master avoids everything that could obscure the main course of the action he depicts; he achieves rare persuasiveness compositional solution. In the center he places the figure of Christ, highlighting it with the opening of the door. He deliberately moves the apostles away from Christ in order to further emphasize his place in the composition. Finally, for the same purpose, he forces all perspective lines to converge at a point directly above the head of Christ. Leonardo divides his students into four symmetrical groups, full of life and movement. He makes the table small, and the refectory - strict and simple. This gives him the opportunity to focus the viewer’s attention on figures with enormous plastic power. All these techniques reflect the deep purposefulness of the creative plan, in which everything is weighed and taken into account.
The main task that Leonardo set himself in “The Last Supper” was the realistic transmission of the most complex mental reactions to the words of Christ: “One of you will betray me.” By giving complete human characters and temperaments in the images of the apostles, Leonardo forces each of them to react in their own way to the words spoken by Christ.

"The Golden Section" by Leonardo da Vinci
It was this subtle psychological differentiation, based on the diversity of faces and gestures, that most amazed Leonardo’s contemporaries, especially when comparing his painting with earlier Florentine images on the same theme by Tadeo Gaddi, Andrea del Castagno, Cosimo Rosselli and Domenico Ghirlandaio. In all these masters, the apostles sit calmly, like extras, at the table, remaining completely indifferent to everything that happens. Not having enough in your arsenal strong means For psychological characteristics Judas, Leonardo's predecessors, singled him out from general group apostles and placed in the form of a completely isolated figure in front of the table. Thus, Judas was artificially opposed to the entire congregation as an outcast and a villain. Leonardo boldly breaks this tradition. His artistic language rich enough not to resort to such purely external effects. He unites Judas into one group with all the other apostles, but gives him such features that allow an attentive viewer to immediately recognize him among the twelve disciples of Christ.

Leonardo treats each of his students individually. Like a stone thrown into water, creating ever more divergent circles on the surface, the words of Christ, falling in the midst of dead silence, cause the greatest movement in the assembly, which a minute before was in a state of complete peace. Those three apostles who sit on his side respond especially impulsively to the words of Christ. left hand. They form an inextricable group, imbued with a single will and a single movement. Young Philip jumped up from his seat, addressing Christ with a bewildered question, James the elder spread his arms in indignation and leaned back a little, Thomas raised his hand up, as if trying to understand what was happening. The group on the other side of Christ is imbued with a completely different spirit. Separated from central figure significant interval, it is distinguished by incomparably greater restraint of gestures. Presented in a sharp turn, Judas convulsively clutches a purse of silver and looks at Christ with fear; his shadowed, ugly, rough profile is contrasted with the brightly lit, beautiful face of John, who limply lowered his head onto his shoulder and calmly folded his hands on the table. Peter's head is wedged between Judas and John; leaning towards John and leaning his left hand on his shoulder, he whispers something in his ear, while his right hand decisively grabbed the sword with which he wants to protect his teacher. The three other apostles sitting near Peter are turned in profile. Looking intently at Christ, they seem to ask him about the culprit of the betrayal. At the opposite end of the table is presented last group of three figures. Matthew, with his hands stretched out towards Christ, indignantly turns to the elderly Thaddeus, as if wanting to get an explanation from him of everything that is happening. However, the latter’s bewildered gesture clearly shows that he, too, remains in the dark.

It is not by chance that Leonardo depicted both extreme figures, sitting at the edges of the table, in pure profile. They close the movement coming from the center on both sides, fulfilling here the same role that belonged in the “Adoration of the Magi” to the figures of the old man and the young man, placed at the very edges of the picture. But if Leonardo’s psychological means of expression did not rise above the traditional level in this work of the early Florentine era, then in “The Last Supper” they achieve such perfection and depth, equal to which it would be in vain to look for anything else. Italian art XV century. And this was perfectly understood by the master’s contemporaries, who perceived Leonardo’s “Last Supper” as a new word in art.

The artist, like almost all geniuses, worked very chaotically. Either he did not look up from his work for whole days, or he applied only a few strokes.

The Last Supper is the master's only great completed work. He chose unusual look paintings were done with oil paints rather than tempera, which allowed for a slower pace of work, with the possibility of additions and changes. The style in which the work is written gives the impression that we are looking at it through foggy glass. Numerous spots merge into a single picture.
The consecration depicted by the great genius gives the impression of real light, since a faint light leaks from the adjacent window of the perpendicular wall and the picture appears as reality in the eyes of the spectators. Unfortunately, this window is currently completely darkened so as not to spoil the fragile work. Therefore, the work loses a little in its complex. Experts suggest putting a special filter on the window, but so far this is just talk.

The method of painting with oil paints turned out to be very short-lived. Just two years later, Leonardo was horrified to see his work changed so much. And ten years later, he and his students try to produce the first restoration work. A total of eight restorations were made throughout the painting's life. In connection with these attempts, new layers of paint were repeatedly applied to the painting, significantly distorting the original. In addition, by the beginning of the 20th century, the feet of Jesus Christ were completely erased, since the constantly opening door of the dining room was in contact with this very place. The door was cut by the monks to enter the refectory, but since this was done in the 1600s, it is a historical hole and there is no way to wall it up.

Milan is rightly proud of this masterpiece, which is the only Renaissance work of this magnitude. To no avail, two French kings dreamed of transporting the painting along with the wall to Paris. Napoleon also did not remain indifferent to this idea. But to the great joy of the Milanese and all of Italy, this unique work of the great genius remained in its place. During World War II, when British aircraft bombed Milan, the roof and three walls famous building were completely demolished. And imagine, only the one on which Leonardo made his painting remained standing. It was a real miracle! We owe this “Miracle” not least to the monks, who carefully lined the wall with the fresco with sandbags.

For a long time brilliant work was under restoration. To reconstruct the work, the latest technologies were used, which made it possible to gradually remove layer by layer. In this way, centuries of hardened dust, mold and all sorts of other foreign materials were removed. Moreover, let’s face it, 1/3 or even half of the original colors were lost over the course of 500 years. But general form the painting has changed a lot. She seemed to come to life, sparkling with the cheerful, lively colors that he had given her. Great master. And finally, in the spring of May 26, 1999, after a restoration that lasted 21 years, the work of Leonardo da Vinci was again open to public viewing. On this occasion, a big celebration was held in the city, and a concert was held in the church.

To protect this delicate work from damage, a constant temperature and humidity are maintained in the building through special filtering devices. Entry is limited to 25 people every 15 minutes. Admission ticket must be ordered in advance.

Dominican monastery "Santa Maria delle Grazie" in Milan
There are several legends telling about the great Master and his painting.

So, according to one of them, when creating the fresco “The Last Supper,” Leonardo da Vinci faced a huge difficulty: he had to depict Good, embodied in the image of Jesus, and Evil in the image of Judas, who decided to betray him at this meal. Leonardo interrupted his work in the middle and resumed it only after he had found the ideal models.

Once, when the artist was present at a choir performance, he saw a perfect image of Christ in one of the young singers and, inviting him to his workshop, made several sketches and studies from him.
Three years have passed. The Last Supper was almost completed, but Leonardo had not yet found a suitable model for Judas. The cardinal in charge of painting the cathedral was hurrying him, demanding that the fresco be completed as soon as possible.
And after many days of searching, the artist saw a man lying in a gutter - young, but prematurely decrepit, dirty, drunk and ragged. There was no time left for sketches, and Leonardo ordered his assistants to deliver him directly to the cathedral, which they did.
With great difficulty they dragged him there and put him on his feet. He didn’t really understand what was happening, but Leonardo captured on canvas the sinfulness, selfishness, and malice that his face breathed.
When he finished the work, the beggar, who by this time had already sobered up a little, opened his eyes, saw the canvas in front of him and cried out in fear and anguish:
- I've already seen this picture before!
- When? - Leonardo asked in bewilderment.
- Three years ago, before I lost everything. At that time, when I sang in the choir and my life was full of dreams, some artist painted Christ from me.

According to another legend, dissatisfied with Leonardo’s slowness, the prior of the monastery persistently demanded that he finish his work as soon as possible. “It seemed strange to him to see Leonardo standing immersed in thought for the whole half of the day. He wanted the artist to never let go of his brushes, just as he never stops working in the garden. Not limiting himself to this, he complained to the Duke and began to pester him so much that he was forced to send for Leonardo and in a delicate manner ask him to take up the work, making it clear in every possible way that he was doing all this at the insistence of the Prior.” Having started a general conversation with the Duke artistic themes, Leonardo then pointed out to him that he was close to finishing the painting and that he only had two heads left to paint - Christ and the traitor Judas. “He would like to look for this last head, but in the end, if he does not find anything better, he is ready to use the head of this same prior, so intrusive and immodest. This remark greatly amused the Duke, who told him that he was right a thousand times over. Thus, the poor embarrassed prior continued to push on with the work in the garden and left Leonardo alone, who completed the head of Judas, which turned out to be the true embodiment of betrayal and inhumanity.”

"The Last Supper" by Leonardo da Vinci (1495-1497) after restoration

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.

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.

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 extending his right hand to him. At the same time, Jesus points to bread and wine, which symbolize the sinless body and shed blood respectively.

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. Most previous works on the subject excluded Judas, placing him alone at the opposite end of the table from where the other eleven apostles and Jesus sat, 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, just like 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.

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. No other information about the apostle New Testament does not lead. The nickname Zealot is sometimes interpreted as a commitment to Jewish nationalism (Zealots).

Simon the Canaanite is identified with stepbrother(from Joseph and Salome) 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.

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 martyrdom 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.

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.

Apostle Philip

Mentioned in the lists of apostles in the Gospel of Matthew (10:3), Mark (3:18), Luke (6:14), as well as 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 to show the Father at the Last Supper (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.

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.

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 gospel history, including the assurance of Thomas. 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 marks 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.

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.

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 his 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.

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 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.

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 own home and continued fishing.

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.

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).

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 of the Alexandrian school

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.

If fate has brought you to the northern capital of Italy, then the fresco of the Last Supper by Leonardo da Vinci is definitely worth seeing. It’s not for nothing that BlogoItaliano put her on the second line of the TOP list. Getting tickets to attend the Memorial is another matter. almost impossible if you don't know where and when to look. But before we talk about the tickets, let’s pay a little attention to the Masterpiece itself.

Of all the works of Leonardo da Vinci that have survived to this day, the fresco Last Supper in Milan one of the most remarkable. And this is recognized even by those who are ready to tirelessly prove that its plot absolutely does not correspond to the events described in the New Testament. The point, however, is not the plot or the views of the artist, which he supposedly wanted to reflect in the drawing, painting the wall of the monastery refectory Santa Maria delle Grazie…

Leonardo da Vinci: the genius of incompleteness

How much do you know contemporary artists who would have the honor of working for the most senior people at the age of 30? The high mortality rate in the Middle Ages is not an excuse, since it was mostly infants who died (if there were no epidemics), and at 50-60 years old men did not look very old at all. Especially if they belonged to one of the 2 upper classes or chose the path of trade or craft.

Art in those years was also a craft - no better or worse than others, and there was no shortage of craftsmen. Young, old, talented and not so talented. Especially in Italy, where every more or less large city had its own school of fine arts.

Leonardo da Vinci's self-propelled wooden carriage

By the age of 30, Leonardo became famous not as an artist, but as a mathematician and engineer. The era was restless: the Italian dukes went on short campaigns not with friendly visits. As a result, the demand for high-quality fortifications and armor-piercing equipment was decent, and in 1482 Leonardo was invited to Milan.

However, all the city fortifications, as well as the equestrian statue of the father of the Duke of Milan, Lodovico Sforza, were never erected. Almost all of the paintings commissioned by Leonardo from the Duke and his entourage also remained unfinished. Why?

The Last Supper of Leonardo da Vinci: from concept to creation

Leonardo was interested new riddle. He decided to thoroughly investigate the laws of aerial perspective, according to which the further away an object is, the more indistinguishable its true color becomes. As before, nature itself posed this riddle to Leonardo. The artist creates a series of sketches and several paintings in which he first appears sfumato– slight haze, blurred contours, soft shadow, which soon became characteristic feature his paintings.

Leonardo was also concerned about the organization of space on the canvas - linear perspective, and the problem of the “golden section”. It was then (in 1490) that the famous drawing “Vitruvian Man” appeared, representing accurate calculations body proportions.

Vitruvian Man by Leonardo da Vinci

But the opportunity to move from theory to practice in three directions immediately presented itself only in 1494. It is this date that most researchers call as the starting date: The Last Supper of Leonardo da Vinci, which existed until then only in the artist’s imagination, began to take shape on the monastery wall. The size of the fresco is 460×880 cm.

Work continued until 1498. Trying to make the figures more voluminous, and therefore more natural, Leonardo, captivated by the idea of conveying the principles of aerial perspective on a static surface, painted the refectory not with tempera on wet plaster, as was customary, but with oil paints on ordinary, dry plaster.

But this is nothing more than an experiment, albeit a generously paid one. The plot is secondary for the artist. The main thing is to recreate a harmonious space using accurate calculations. “Verify harmony with algebra,” as another genius would write several hundred years later.

Milan monastery of Santa Maria delle Grazie

According to legend, the prior of the monastery Santa Maria delle Grazie constantly urged by Leonardo, who, in revenge, gave the features of Judas Iscariot a resemblance to the abbot. It is possible that this is just a legend: the Dominicans (and the monastery was precisely Dominican) were famous for their artists and knew the value of this work - both materially and temporally.

The Last Supper of Leonardo da Vinci: victory and defeat of a genius

Leonardo's experiment was only partially successful: he soon had to correct the oil paints with the same tempera. However, the palette of shades, which makes the figures of the Savior and his disciples as natural as possible at a short distance, thanks to the genius of the master, remained unchanged.

But most of all, the artist’s contemporaries were struck by the illusion of a huge space behind those sitting at the table, which involuntarily transferred to the real space, absorbing its features and making observers feel literally inside the fresco.

The Last Supper of Leonardo da Vinci

The power of influence of this work on the viewer is such that even serious researchers, when studying it, still do not take into account what lies literally on the surface and delve into the symbolism and plot. Although the stunning effect of the Last Supper is just the result of enormous work of the mind and cold calculation, a peculiar equation based, however, on strict natural laws that Leonardo followed all his life. Only? Everyone must find the answer to this question for themselves.

How to see the Last Supper fresco

Not a single reproduction, even the highest quality, can convey the full power of the genius of Leonardo, who solved and solved one of the most difficult riddles nature through the creation of a mural Last Supper in Milan. The fresco still adorns one of the walls of the refectory in Santa Maria delle Grazie at: Piazza Santa Maria delle Grazie 2 | Corso Magenta, 20123 Milan, Italy (Centro Storico).

The church is open to visitors daily from 7:30 to 19:00 (break from 12:00 to 15:00). On holidays and holidays Santa Maria delle Grazie welcomes guests from 11:30 to 18:30.

Access to the room with the fresco is strictly limited. And first you will have to buy tickets to view the Last Supper, allowing you to stay in the refectory for 15 minutes.

By the way, everything is not at all easy with them: being one of the main attractions of Milan, the Last Supper is incredibly popular among guests of the city. Tickets for it are sold out 2 months in advance, so the chances of watching the Supper “at a glance” are very slim. Tickets are not sold by hand either, which is strictly monitored by the security service.

Thus, for those who are just preparing for a trip to Italy and want to see the Last Supper with their own eyes, there is only one acceptable option - online booking.

Where to buy tickets for the Last Supper

The Last Supper has always been in great demand in Milan, but when we first wrote this article [in 2013], tickets were still a little easier. Now [in 2018], reviewing available methods to get tickets, I must admit that everything has become even more complicated.

Limiting the number of tickets on sale has led to many operators outrageously inflating prices. It often comes to the point that travelers are willing to pay up to $100 per ticket just to see the mural. However, there are still several ways to get to see the Last Supper for reasonable money.

Method 1: Weekend in Italy

A website where you can search for tickets without overpaying for an excursion is Weekend in Italy. Tickets can be found here quite often, because the site is the main supplier for many foreign agencies, but it has its own characteristics.

Tickets for the Last Supper are only available here with a further purchase. For example, you can combine your visit to the Supper with a ticket to the Brera Gallery, Leonardo's Codex Atlanticus in the Ambrosian Library, or a Milano Card for 24 hours. If you select only the Last Supper, then the system simply will not allow you to purchase a ticket.

Since these landmarks are some of the most iconic in Milan, it is great way make an interesting plan for the whole day at once.

By the way, the Last Supper is far from the only attraction in Italy for which tickets should be booked in advance. We have already discussed such places in more detail and recommend this article to everyone who wants to “get the most” from their vacation in Italy.

Method 2: Excursion with a visit to the Last Supper

Another way to watch “The Last Supper” is to do it as part of an English-language tour. Many foreigners do this, and not only Russian speakers. Because it is often much easier and cheaper to go on an excursion [even if English language], rather than buying tickets from resellers at unreasonably inflated prices.

Look detailed description excursions and place an order for participation on this page.

What to do if there are no tickets for the required date (2017 addition)

When BlogoItaliano learned about such a critical situation with tickets, we contacted a friend of the guide Oksana in Milan (review of her) and asked if something could be done so that BlogoItaliano readers could still get to see the frexi even with such a rush for tickets .

AND Oksana reassured…

It turns out that she periodically helps travelers, booking a tour with her“In the footsteps of Leonardo da Vinci”, go to see the fresco. Moreover, it is often possible to get tickets even at the box office price. According to Oksana, she does not give a 100% guarantee of visiting the fresco, but for long years In practice, she had only one case when tourists were unable to get inside.

If you were paying attention, you probably noticed that we're talking about only about tickets in addition to the excursion. But it's three hours excursion in Russian with one of the most sought after guides in Milan.

By the way, in addition to the Last Supper of Leonardo da Vinci, the excursion also includes a visit to another masterpiece of the master in the Sforzesco Castle and his painting “Portrait of a Musician” in the Ambrosiana Gallery. Well, for the most persistent admirers of genius, Oksana includes in the excursion the Museum dedicated to Leonardo’s inventions.

You can contact Oksana to clarify the details of the excursion with her by e-mail or via the feedback form below.

Leonardo da Vinci. Last Supper. 1495-1498 Monastery of Santa Maria delle Grazia, Milan.

Last Supper. Without exaggeration, the most famous wall painting. Although it is difficult to see her live.

It is not located in the museum. And in the same refectory of the monastery in Milan, where it was once created by the great Leonardo. You will only be allowed in with tickets. Which need to be purchased 2 months in advance.

I haven’t seen the fresco yet. But standing in front of her, questions would swirl in my head.

Why did Leonardo need to create the illusion of volumetric space? How did he create such diverse characters? Next to Christ is John or is it Mary Magdalene? And if Mary Magdalene is depicted, then who among the apostles is John?

1. Illusion of presence

Leonardo da Vinci. Last Supper. 1495-1498 Monastery of Santa Maria delle Grazia, Milan, Italy. Wga.hu

I wanted to harmoniously fit my work into the surrounding environment. He built a perfect perspective. Real space smoothly transitions into depicted space.

The shadows of the plates and bread indicate that the Last Supper is illuminated from the left. There are just windows on the left in the room. The dishes and tablecloths were also painted the same as in the refectory itself.

Another interesting point. To enhance the illusion, Leonardo demanded that the door be walled up. On the wall where the fresco was supposed to appear.

The refectory was very popular in the city among the townspeople. Food was carried from the kitchen through this door. Therefore, the abbot of the monastery insisted on leaving her.

Leonardo got angry. Threatening that if he does not meet him, he will write him as Judas... The door was walled up.

They began to carry food from the kitchen along long galleries. She was cooling down. The refectory no longer brought in the same income. This is how Leonardo created the fresco. But he closed the profitable restaurant.

But the result amazed everyone. The first spectators were stunned. The illusion was created that you were sitting in the refectory. And next to you, at the next table, is the Last Supper. Something tells me that this kept the diners from gluttony.

After some time the door was returned. In 1566, the refectory was again connected to the kitchen. Christ's feet were “cut off” by the new doorway. The illusion was not as important as the hot food.

2. Grandiose work

When a work is ingenious, it seems that its creator had no difficulty in creating it. After all, that’s why he’s a genius! To release masterpieces one after another.

In fact, genius is in simplicity. Which is created by hard mental work. Leonardo stood for a long time in front of his work, thinking. Trying to find The best decision.

This irritated the already mentioned abbot of the monastery. He complained to the customer of the fresco. Ludovico Sforza. But he was on the master’s side. He understood that creating masterpieces is not the same as weeding a garden.

Long thoughts were not compatible with the fresco technique (painting on wet plaster). After all, it involves fast work. Until the plaster has dried. After which you can no longer make changes.

So Leonardo decided to take a risk. Applying oil paints to a dry wall. So he had the opportunity to work as much as he wanted. And make changes to what has already been written.

Leonardo da Vinci. Last Supper. Fragment. 1495-1498 Monastery of Santa Maria delle Grazia. Wga.hu

But the experiment was unsuccessful. After a couple of decades, the paint began to fall off due to dampness. For 500 years, the masterpiece was on the verge of complete destruction. And there is still little chance that our descendants will see it.

3. Psychological reaction

Such a variety of character reactions was not easy for the master. Leonardo understood that people with different characters react very differently to the same words.

To those gathered at one table in taverns, he told funny stories or unusual facts. And watched how they reacted. To then endow them with the gestures of their heroes.

And so we see how the 12 apostles reacted. To the unexpected words of Christ, “One of you will betray me.”

Leonardo da Vinci. Last Supper. Fragment. 1495-1498 Monastery of Santa Maria delle Grazia, Milan, Italy

Bartholomew rose from the bench and leaned on the table. This impulse shows his readiness to act. As soon as he hears who the traitor is.

Andrey has a completely different reaction. In slight fright, he raised his hands to his chest with his palms facing the viewer. Like, this is definitely not for me, I’m clean.

Here is another group of apostles. Already on the left hand of Christ.

Leonardo da Vinci. Last Supper. Fragment. 1495-1498 Monastery of Santa Maria delle Grazia, Milan, Italy

Jacob Zebedee was stunned by what he heard more than anyone else. He looked down, trying to comprehend what he had heard. Opening his arms, he holds back the approaching Thomas and Philip. Like, wait, let the Teacher continue.

Thomas points to the sky. God won't allow this to happen. Philip rushed to assure the Teacher that he could trust him. After all, he is not capable of this.

The reactions are very different. No one had ever depicted this before Leonardo.

You won’t see this even among Leonardo’s contemporaries. Like, for example, Ghirlandaio. The apostles react and talk. But somehow it’s too calm. Monotonous.

Domenico Ghirlandaio. Last Supper. 1486 Fresco in the Basilica di San Marco, Florence, Italy. Wikimedia.commons.org

4. The main mystery of the fresco. John or Mary Magdalene?

According to the official version, the Apostle John is depicted at the right hand of Christ. But he is depicted as so feminine that it is easy to believe in the legend about Mary Magdalene.

Leonardo da Vinci. Last Supper. Fragment. 1495-1498 Monastery of Santa Maria delle Grazia, Milan, Italy

And the oval of the face is purely feminine with a pointed chin. And the brow ridges are too smooth. Also long Thin hair.

And even his reaction is purely feminine. What he/she heard made him/her feel uncomfortable. Helplessly, he/she clung to the Apostle Peter.

And his/her hands are folded limply. But before John was called by Christ, he was a fisherman. That is, those who pulled a multi-kilogram net from the water.

5. Where is John?

John can be identified in three ways. He was younger than Christ. As we know, before his calling he was a fisherman. He also has a brother, also an apostle. So we are looking for someone young, strong and similar to another character. Here are two contenders.

Although everything can be much more prosaic. The two characters look alike because the same person posed for the artist.

And John looks like a woman because Leonardo was inclined to depict androgynous people. Just remember the pretty angel from the painting “Madonna of the Rocks” or the effeminate “John the Baptist”.

Encyclopedic YouTube

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✪ Leonardo da Vinci, "The Last Supper"

✪ Last Supper - fresco of the great Italian artist Renaissance Leonardo da Vinci.

✪ Last Supper (1495-1498) - Leonardo da Vinci

✪ Vladimir Sverzhin Secrets of Leonardo's Last Supper. Information group "Alisa".

✪ Leonardo da Vinci, Christ and Magdalene.AVI

Subtitles

We are located in the Church of Santa Maria della Grazie, in Milan. Before us is “The Last Supper” by Leonardo da Vinci. for this story. And far from unusual., for example, a halo. The images themselves are majestic in this space. They are placed closely together, which conveys the energy and confusion surrounding the perfection, significance and geometric form of Christ. Right. The image of Christ forms an equilateral triangle., who looks very humble, his eyes are closed. This is traditional for depicting the Last Supper. My favorite three are the ones on the far right. Da Vinci was especially interested in expressing the soul through the body, showing the inner nature. He creates these four triplets, this links the images together, they seem to be layered on top of each other, creating an intensity of passions.

By creating tension and contrast between the emotional response of these images.

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 exact, 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.

Technique

Leonardo painted The Last Supper on a dry wall, not wet plaster, so the painting is not a fresco in the true sense of the word. The fresco cannot be changed during work, and Leonardo decided to cover stone wall a layer of resin, gabs and mastic, and then write on this layer with tempera.

Figures depicted

The apostles are depicted in groups of three, located around the figure of Christ sitting in the center. Groups of apostles, from left to right:

Bartholomew, Jacob Alfeev and Andrey;
Judas Iscariot (clothed in green and blue flowers), Peter and John ;
Thomas, James Zebedee and Philip;
Matthew, Jude Thaddeus and Simon.

In the 19th century they were found notebooks Leonardo da Vinci with the names of the apostles; previously only Judas, Peter, John and Christ had been identified with certainty.

Analysis of the picture

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.

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

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.

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.

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

Damage and restoration

Already in 1517, the paint of the painting began to peel off due to moisture. In 1556, biographer Leonardo Vasari described the painting as being badly damaged and so deteriorated that the figures were almost unrecognizable. In 1652, a doorway was made through the painting, later blocked with bricks; it can still be seen in the middle of the base of the mural. Early copies suggest that Jesus' feet were in a position symbolizing his impending crucifixion. In 1668, a curtain was hung over the painting for protection; instead, it blocked the evaporation of moisture from the surface, and when the curtain was pulled back, it scratched the peeling paint.

The first restoration was undertaken in 1726 by Michelangelo Belotti, who filled in the missing areas with oil paint and then varnished the fresco. This restoration did not last long, and another was undertaken in 1770 by Giuseppe Mazza. Mazza cleaned up Belotti's work and then extensively rewrote the mural: he rewrote all but three faces, and then was forced to stop the work due to public outrage. In 1796, French troops used the refectory as an armory; they threw stones at the paintings and climbed ladders to scratch out the apostles' eyes. The refectory was then used as a prison. In 1821 Stefano Barezzi, known for his ability to remove frescoes from walls with extreme care, was invited to move the painting to a safer place; he seriously damaged the central section before realizing that Leonardo's work was not a fresco. Barezzi attempted to reattach the damaged areas with glue. From 1901 to 1908, Luigi Cavenaghi carried out the first thorough study of the structure of the painting, and then Cavenaghi began clearing it. In 1924, Oreste Silvestri carried out further clearing and stabilized some parts with plaster.

During the Second World War, on August 15, 1943, the refectory was bombed. Sandbags prevented bomb fragments from entering the painting, but vibration could have had a detrimental effect.

In 1951-1954, Mauro Pelliccoli carried out another restoration with clearing and stabilization.

Criticism

Most artists (Leonardo da Vinci, Tintoretto, etc.) depict the apostles sitting on chairs, which does not correspond to Eastern, Palestinian traditions, and only Alexander Ivanov depicted them sitting truthfully - sitting in an Eastern way.

Main restoration

In the 1970s, the painting looked badly damaged. From 1978 to 1999, under the leadership of Pinin Brambilla Barchilon, a large-scale restoration project was carried out, the goal of which was to permanently stabilize the painting and get rid of the damage caused by pollution and improper restorations of the 18th and 19th centuries. Since it was impractical to move the painting to a quieter environment, the refectory itself was converted into such a sealed and climate-controlled environment, which required bricking up the windows. Detailed research was then carried out to determine the original form of the painting using infrared reflectoscopy and studies of core samples, as well as original cartons from the Royal Library of Windsor Castle. Some areas were considered beyond restoration. They were repainted in watercolors in muted colors to show, without distracting the viewer's attention, that they were not an original work.

The restoration took 21 years. On May 28, 1999, the painting was opened for viewing. Visitors must reserve tickets in advance and are limited to 15 minutes in the refectory. When the fresco was unveiled, heated debate arose over the dramatic changes in colors, tones and even the ovals of the faces of several figures. James Beck, a professor of art history at Columbia University and founder of ArtWatch International, had a particularly harsh assessment of the work.

In popular culture

The painting is shown in the documentary series “Life after People” - after a quarter of a century, many elements of the painting will be erased over time, and after 60 years without people, 15 percent of the paint from the fresco will remain, and even then they will be overgrown with moss.”
In the video for the song “Tits” by the Leningrad group, there is a scene where a parody of the painting is shown.
The video for the song "HUMBLE" by Kendrick Lamar also contains a parody of the painting.