However, by pushing John over to Peter, Jesus becomes a stand-alone figure.ĭr. Often in these depictions, John is to the left of Jesus and leaning onto him. Many religious pieces represent a closeness between Christ and this apostle, which is best seen in depictions of the Sacred Heart. Moreover, according to Ross King, in Christian mythology and liturgy, John was the beloved disciple of Christ. John the Baptist also shows a delicacy to his appearance and demeanor. We can see this in other artworks of the period. This was a common technique of the time that makes John look effeminate. Regarding John: He was the youngest apostle, so Leonardo depicts him with softer characteristics. The narrative and style of the time would have put forward a Jesus that was humble, realistic, and humane. However, Leonardo is a man of the Renaissance and a pious one. Olson and Miesel argue that the holy grail only makes sense if we suspect that Leonardo would actively depict Jesus’ chalice differently from the rest. John the apostle was, in fact, Mary Magdalene and that she and Jesus were married. And it was important for both patrons and artists of the period.ĭan Brown proposes two main secrets hidden in this painting: The missing chalice of Christ (the holy grail) and the fact that St. However, the Christian liturgy is a key aspect of Renaissance art. According to Olson and Miesel, these narratives are speculations against Christian ideology and symbology. Novels like Dan Brown’s Da Vinci Code have created a lot of conspiracy theories over this artwork. For conservation reasons, there is a strict limit of people who can visit the refectory to see the painting, thus why bookings sell out extraordinarily fast. Unfortunately, this means the majority of the painting is mostly altered and very few traces are visible of Leonardo’s original work.Īccording to Laszlo Zsolnai, this heavy restoration and alteration has been crucial for its preservation. The Last Supper was restored through an exceedingly process that lasted from 1977 to 1990. And the cherry on top of the cake was the bombing damage received during the Second World War.īy the late 20th century, the painting was barely recognizable. Furthermore, the refectory was used as a stable during the Napoleonic period and the damage increased. Italian and foreign artists visited the painting throughout the 16th century noticed and recorded the water damage. Originally, the wall where he painted the mural was a thin exterior wall that was more exposed to the elements.Īccording to Michael Ladwein, there was a catastrophic flood in Milan in 1500 that severely damaged the convent. He started the commission around 1494 and finished it by 1498. Unfortunately, this mural technique is not as durable as a fresco in certain circumstances, which Leonardo had not predicted. Matthew, Jude Thaddeus, and Simon the Zealot: Matthew and Jude turn to Simon as if asking him for answers.Īccording to Steinberg, we know the identity of each apostle thanks to an unsigned copy of the painting.Thomas, James the Greater, and Philip are stunned and wanting clarification.Jesus: we can see a representation of the holy trinity and expression of the eucharist as Jesus reaches for bread and wine forming a triangle, according to Sgarbi.Putting favourites such as Peter and John next to Judas creates contrast and breaks away from traditional narratives of the last supper that usually keep Judas isolated or in the shadows. Judas Iscariot, Peter, and John who all have important, individual roles in the life of Christ.Bartholomew, James son of Alphaeus, and Andrew showing surprise. Moreover, Leonardo groups the apostles in a way that breaks down the narrative and emotions in the room. This was rather unusual for this kind of scene, and the shock and horror really stand out. He portrayed the exact moment when Jesus told them he would be betrayed by one of them. Leonardo made the apostles very expressive in this painting. More “visible” Copy of Da Vinci’s Last Supper by Giacomo Raffaelli in the Minoriten
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