Description of the painting “The Last Supper” by Leonardo da Vinci. Secrets of Leonardo da Vinci's fresco "Last Supper" Da Vinci's Last Supper symbolism
If we talk about monuments of art and culture of world significance, we cannot fail to mention the paintings of Leonardo da Vinci. And, undoubtedly, one of the most famous is his work “The Last Supper”. Some claim that the master was inspired to write it by a spark from God, while others insist that for the sake of such mastery he sold his soul to the devil. But one thing is undeniable - the skill and care with which the artist recreated all the nuances of the scene from the Gospel still remains an unattainable dream for most painters.
So, what secrets does this image hide? Read and find out!
Scene of Christ's last supper with his disciples
The history of the painting
Leonardo da Vinci received an order to write “The Last Supper” from his patron, the Duke of Milan Ludovico Sforza. This happened in 1495, and the reason was the death of the ruler’s wife, the modest and pious Beatrice d’Este. During her lifetime, the famous womanizer Sforza neglected communication with his wife for the sake of entertainment with friends, but still loved her in his own way. The chronicles note that after the death of his lady, he declared fifteen days of mourning, praying in his chambers and not leaving them for a minute. And after this period expired, he ordered a painting from the court artist (who was Leonardo at that time) in memory of the deceased.
The fresco is located in the Dominican Church of Santa Maria delle Grazie. Its painting lasted three whole years (whereas it usually took about three months to complete such a painting) and was completed only in 1498. The reason for this was the unusually large size of the work (460x880 cm) and the innovative technique used by the master.
Church of Santa Maria delle Grazie. Milan
Leonardo da Vinci did not paint on wet plaster, but on dry plaster, so that he could see the colors and details. In addition, he used not only oil paints, but also tempera - a mixture of pigment and egg white - which also caused the rapid deterioration of the work. The painting began to collapse twenty years after the artist made the last stroke. Now, in order to preserve it for posterity, a whole range of special events are being carried out. If this is not done, the fresco will completely disappear within 60 years.
Master's plan
Leonardo da Vinci's painting The Last Supper depicts one of the most famous and moving episodes in the Gospel. According to theological calculations, it was she who opened the Lord’s path to the cross, as the final battle with evil and death. At this moment, Christ's love for humanity was manifested clearly and visibly - He sacrificed divine light to go into death and darkness. By sharing bread with the disciples, the Lord thereby joined each of us and left His testament. But at the same time, someone may reject this possibility - after all, God is not only love, but also freedom, and this is demonstrated to us by the act of Judas.
In order to adequately convey this deep and meaningful scene in paint, Leonardo did significant preparatory work. As indicated in the notes of his contemporaries, he walked the streets of Milan in search of models. The master made them laugh, upset them and surprised them, watched how people quarreled and made peace, confessed their love and parted - so that he could later reflect this in his work. That is why All participants in the Last Supper in the fresco are endowed with individuality, their own expression, pose and mood.
First sketches of the Last Supper. Located in the Venetian Academy
In addition, the painter abandoned traditional icon painting canons in favor of a realistic and natural image. At that time, painting Jesus and the apostles without the usual crowns, halos and mandorlas (golden radiance around the entire figure) was a rather bold idea, which was even criticized by some priests. But after the completion of the work, everyone unanimously admitted that no one had ever been able to convey the divine meal better.
Secrets of the painting The Last Supper by Leonardo da Vinci
It is known that da Vinci was not only a famous artist, but also an inventor, engineer, anatomist, scientist, and some even attribute to him a connection with various mystical societies, of which there were quite a lot in Europe in the 15th century. Therefore, thanks to the skill of their creator, the works of Leonardo da Vinci also carry a certain touch of mystery and enigma. And it is precisely around the “Last Supper” that there are extremely many such prejudices and hoaxes. So, what secrets did the creator encrypt?
According to historians who study the creative heritage of the Renaissance, the most difficult thing for the master was to write Jesus and Judas Iscariot. The Lord was supposed to appear before the audience as the embodiment of kindness, love and piety, while Judas was to become his opposite, a dark antagonist. It is not surprising that da Vinci could not find suitable sitters. But one day during a service, he saw a young singer in the church choir - his young face was so spiritual and impeccable that the painter immediately realized that this particular person could become a prototype of Christ. But even after his figure was painted, the artist spent a long time adjusting and correcting it, trying to achieve perfection.
Leonardo drew the prototype of Judas and Jesus from one sitter, without knowing it
All that remained was to portray Iscariot - and again Leonardo could not find the right person. He went to the dirtiest and most neglected areas of Milan, wandering for hours through low-quality taverns and ports, trying to find someone whose face would serve as a suitable model. And finally, luck smiled at him - in a roadside ditch he saw a drunk man. The artist ordered him to be taken to church and, without even allowing him to wake up from his intoxication, began to capture the image. After finishing the work, the drunkard said that he had already seen it once, and even participated - only that time they painted Christ from him... According to contemporaries, this proved how thin the line is between a prosperous life and a fall - and how easy it is to cross it!
It is also interesting that the rector of the church in which the fresco was located often distracted Leonardo da Vinci, pointing out that he should work harder and not stand for hours in front of the image - and certainly not wander around the city in search of sitters! Finally, the painter got so tired of this that one day he promised the abbot that he would paint Judas with his face if he did not immediately stop commanding and pointing!
Disciple or Mary Magdalene?
There are still discussions about who Leonardo da Vinci depicted in the painting to the left hand of the Savior. According to some art critics, the gentle, graceful face of this character simply cannot belong to a man, which means that the artist introduced Mary Magdalene into the plot, one of the women who followed the Shepherd. Some go even further, suggesting that she was the legal wife of Jesus Christ. Confirmation of this is found in the arrangement of figures on the fresco - leaning towards each other, they form a stylized letter “M”, meaning “Matrimonio” - marriage. Other researchers do not agree with this, assuring that the outlines of the bodies can only be connected into the letter “V” - da Vinci’s initials.
Jesus and Mary Magdalene on the Last Supper fresco
But there is other evidence that Magdalene was the wife of Christ. Thus, in the Gospel you can see references to how she washed His feet with myrrh and dried them with her hair (John 12:3), and this could only be done by a woman legally married to a man. In addition, some apocrypha claim that at the time of the Lord’s crucifixion on Calvary, Mary was pregnant, and the daughter Sarah born to her became the ancestor of the French royal Merovingian dynasty.
Placement of figures and objects
The Last Supper of Leonardo da Vinci is distinguished not only by the realism and liveliness of the human figures - the master carefully worked out the space surrounding them, the cutlery, and even the landscape. Each feature of the work contains a coded message.
For example, scientists have found that the order in which the figures of the apostles are located on the fresco is not at all random - it corresponds to the sequence of the zodiac circle. So, if you adhere to this pattern, you can see that Jesus Christ was a Capricorn - a symbol of movement forward, to new heights and achievements, and spiritual development. This sign is identified with Saturn - the deity of time, fate and harmony.
But the mysterious figure next to the Savior, which was already mentioned above, is located under the sign of Virgo. This is another proof in favor of the fact that the master showed Mary Magdalene in the picture.
Amber icon “The Last Supper” by Leonardo da Vinci
It is also interesting to study the arrangement of objects on the table. In particular, near Judas’s hand you can see an upside-down salt shaker (which was already considered a sign of trouble in those days), and in addition, his plate is empty. This is a sign that he was unable to accept the grace given by the coming of the Lord and rejected His gift.
Even the fish served to the diners is a reason for disputes. Art critics have long debated what exactly Leonardo depicted. Some say that this is a herring - its Italian name, “aringa”, is consonant with “arringare” - teaching, preaching, instruction. But according to others, this is an eel - in the dialect of Eastern Italy it is called “anguilla”, which for Italians sounds similar to “one who rejects religion”.
During its existence, the fresco was repeatedly in danger of destruction. So, during World War II, an artillery shell that flew into the window of the church disfigured and partially destroyed all the walls - except for the one where the work was written!
The famous painting still exists - and reveals more and more secrets to us, the solution of which is yet to be solved. In the meantime, you can admire numerous copies and reproductions made from a variety of materials. For example, the Last Supper made of amber, poured from semi-precious crumbs and inlaid with large stones, is simply amazing - it combines masterful execution and the mystery of the original!
From left to right, a table with food stretches across the entire width of the picture. Twelve characters sit at the table facing us in groups of three with Christ in the center. The apostles are chatting animatedly.
What are they talking about and what is the picture about?
S. M. Sandomirsky
Lazarev V.N.: “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 depicted... The main task that Leonardo set for himself with the Last Supper was the real transfer of the most complex mental reactions to the words of Christ: “One of you will betray me”... Each of Leonardo treats students individually...”
It is unlikely that the “main task” of the artist was so small - to give a “psychic reaction” to the disciples of Christ. And what do we care about that?
Gukovsky M.A. writes: “Christ is tragically doomed to death, full of calm wisdom and love for a person for whom he is ready to endure mortal pain. His head, beautiful and simple, emerges in a light, almost unearthly image against the background of the open window, his hands lay sacrificially and lovingly on the table. The gloomy and tough Judas looks in terrible contrast... His head, sharply turned back, is immersed in heavy darkness, tragically (?) emphasizing his sharp features, a predatory, hooked nose, a frowning, evil gaze. Selfless, sacrificial service to the truth, of which Leonardo himself was a martyr, is opposed to cold, selfish self-interest...”
Head of Christ (Work for the Last Supper)
“Gloominess and harshness” are not enough to attribute self-interest to a person, just like a “predatory” nose and an “evil” look. And further:
“The different reactions of the apostles emphasize and clarify the tragic depth of the gulf between Christ and Judas. They swear (?) their loyalty to the teacher, but none of them will find the courage to stand up for him in his hour of death. Only one stands out from their frightened group - this is the Apostle Thomas...”
Everyone knows from the Bible that Christ came to earth as a savior, and Judas sold him, but, it seems, not very profitably. Is Leonardo an illustrator? Nobody stood up? Peter stood up for Christ and cut off the slave’s ear, which was insane courage surrounded by dozens of enemies. A "frightened group" of apostles? Nobody was scared - look at the picture. Gukovsky praises Thomas, seeing him as a scientist. What's so outstanding about it? Disbelief alone is not enough to create something.
Let's look at the picture. Compositionally, it is divided into Christ in the center and four groups of apostles, three in each. All perspective lines converge above the head of Christ. The tallest figure is Christ, since he, seated, is almost level with the standing characters; the lowest is the apostle (!) Judas. He is in line with everyone else, but is given a sharp turn to the left.
Judas
Christ has both brushes on the table. The left hand extended to us, palm up, fingers touching the table, but the palm is raised: from it the words of Christ seem to roll down to us. At the same time, this palm is ready to receive our words. An incredibly wide stream of blood - one and a half fingers wide - shoots up from the wrist and into the glass. The right hand, with tense, bent fingers wide apart, moves towards us in a very energetic movement... air: there is nothing under the fingers!
Blood gushes out in a stream, but Christ sits, although sad, but calm. It is amazing that those around (except Jacob) do not pay attention to this: no one is in a hurry to bandage his hand. Everyone is excitedly discussing something. Let us cite a well-known passage from the Bible according to Matthew ch. 26:
“And while they were eating, he said, “Truly I say to you, one of you will betray me.” They became very sad and began to say to Him, each one of them: Is it not I, Lord? He answered and said, “He who dipped his hand into the dish with Me, this one will betray Me; However, the Son of Man comes, as it is written about Him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed: it would have been better for this man not to have been born. At this, Judas, who betrayed him, said: Isn’t it me, Rabbi? Jesus says to him: You said. And while they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed it, broke it, and gave it to the disciples, saying, “Take, eat: this is My Body.” And, taking the cup and giving thanks, he gave it to them and said: drink from it, all of you; for this is My Blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.”
The words: “They were greatly saddened and began to say to Him, each one of them: Is it not I, Lord” do not correspond to the violent reaction of the apostles in the picture. Those who eat the bread in which the blessing of Christ eats, as it were, his body: the qualities of the Teacher become their qualities. When the disciples drink blood-wine, they comprehend the essence of the new covenant, for blood, according to the beliefs of the ancients, was the material carrier of the soul. The right hand of Christ, with a sharp movement, sends forward a new covenant, the commandments of which were proclaimed by the left hand and its blood. Do you accept them, are you able to put them into practice, he asks the apostles, because one of you not only disagrees with me, but will betray me. The pose of Christ speaks about this: his head and arms form a wide triangle, along the sides of which his words will roll right and left, hit the apostles and throw them to the sides: some are indignant - this cannot be! And others are ready to punish the traitor. The Teacher's left palm accepts the students' answer. What Christ saw and heard will plunge him into sorrow, for he will see their weakness. He lowers his head, acknowledging the correctness of the one who answered his challenge. The answer is given by Judas.
How does the artist reinforce what is said? Seated Christ is taller than everyone else, perspective lines converge above his head, he sits against a light background of an open door, behind which there is open space. The artist emphasizes and shares his high spiritual principles, but is convinced that they will not find support, they are naive, lifeless, and they will face the same death as the imminent death of the Teacher himself (the eyes of Christ are at the level of the horizon and soon he and his teaching will perish) . Judas speaks from the spiritual bottom, but this low, earthly righteousness is on his side.
Robert Wallace in the book Leonardo's world, M., 1997 writes: “Of the two problems that the authors of The Last Supper faced over the centuries, the problem of highlighting Judas was solved by Leonardo with the greatest ease. He placed Judas on the same side of the table as everyone else, but separated him psychologically from the others with a loneliness that was far more crushing than mere physical withdrawal. Gloomy and concentrated, Judas retreated from Christ. It’s like there’s a centuries-old stamp of guilt and loneliness on him.”
Judas sits with everyone, like an apostle among apostles. Christ is lonely, and that is why he is sad, but who is least lonely is Judas. Hence his confident strength. And he is not to blame, because the conversation in the film is not about betrayal, but about saving the souls of people who are least concerned about it.
Let us consider the apostles, although after what has been said they no longer decide anything.
12 11 10 9 8 7 Christ 1 2 3 4 5 6
Thomas James (the Elder) Philip Matthew Thaddeus Simeon
Bartholomew Jacob (the Younger) Andrew Judas Peter John
1. Thomas in the doorway on a light background. The right hand is clenched, the index finger is up: “God will not allow such a crime.”
2. Jacob the Elder looks with horror at the blood of the new testament gushing from his wrist. Widely outstretched arms and hands hold back the words of Christ and try to protect those behind him.
Heads of St. Thomas and St. James Zebedee (Work for the Last Supper)
3. Philip presses his fingers to his chest and has a plea on his face: “Trust me, this is impossible on my part.”
4. Both hands accept the words of Christ and Simeon asks with his gaze: “Is it possible that what he says?”
5. Thaddeus accepts the words of Christ with his right palm and questions Simeon.
6. Matthew, both palms are directed at Christ, - he returns his words back: “This is impossible!”
7. John. The fingers are clasped and lie on the table, showing pain and weakness. Swung sharply to the left, eyes closed. The head lies limply on the shoulder.
8. Peter. The left hand accepts the words of Christ and calms John. In his right hand there is a knife - he is ready to kill the traitor.
9. Judas: stable low strength, self-righteousness, determination, energy.
Heads of St. Peter and Jude (Work for the Last Supper)
10. Andrey’s raised palms at chest level: “Who is the traitor?” He glanced sideways at the knife.
11. The right hand of James the Younger is on Andrew’s shoulder: he agrees with him. She accepts the words of Christ.
12. Bartholomew stood up decisively and was ready to act.
In general, the right group of apostles does not allow betrayal; the left admits this possibility and is determined to punish the traitor.
In how strongly John swung to the left, completely freeing the window, there is the light of the truth of Christ, and Thomas, being in the window at the level of Christ, but hopes not for himself, but for God; how the Apostle James the Elder was thrown to the right, how the rest of the disciples became confused, confused, and began to fuss, betraying the thought of Leonardo da Vinci that the ideas of sacrifice and salvation, the commandments of the new testament of Christ by the apostles - these weak people - will not be carried out and his sacrifice will be in vain. This is the reason for Christ's despondency. Moreover, the artist himself pays tribute to the high aspiration and sacrifice of the earthly God.
2002-2003 S. M. Sandomirsky
Leonardo da Vinci. Last Supper. 1494 -1498 (before restoration)
From Ammoreti's testimony it should be concluded that the painting "The Last Supper" was completed in 1497. Unfortunately, Leonardo da Vinci painted it with paints, some of which turned out to be very fragile. Fifty years after its completion, the painting, according to Vasari, was in the most pitiful condition. However, if at that time it was possible to fulfill the desire of King Francis I, expressed sixteen years after the completion of the painting, and, having broken down the wall, transfer the painting to France, then perhaps it would have been preserved. But this could not be done. In 1500, the water that flooded the meal completely ruined the wall. In addition, in 1652, a door was broken in the wall under the face of the Savior, destroying the legs of this figure. The painting was unsuccessfully restored several times. In 1796, after the French crossed the Alps, Napoleon gave strict orders to spare the meal, but the generals who followed him, not paying attention to his order, turned this place into a stable, and subsequently into a storage area for hay.
Big Encyclopedic Dictionary of Brockhaus and Efron
Leonardo da Vinci. The Last Supper.1494 -1498 (after restoration)
V. Lazarev
Leonardo's most famous work is the famous “Last Supper” in the Milan monastery of Santa Maria della Grazie. This painting, which in its present form represents a ruin, was completed between 1495 and 1497. The reason for the rapid deterioration, which made itself felt already in 1517, was a unique technique that combined oil with tempera.
In connection with “The Last Supper,” Vasari cites in his biography of Leonardo a funny episode that perfectly characterizes the artist’s working style and his sharp tongue. Dissatisfied with Leonardo's slowness, the prior of the monastery insistently 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, while making it clear in every possible way that he was doing all this at the insistence of the Prior.” Having started a conversation with the Duke on general artistic topics, 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 still 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. 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.”
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 great human drama before the viewer, show different characters, reveal the spiritual world of a person and accurately and clearly describe his experiences. He perceived the “Last Supper” as a scene of betrayal and set himself the goal of introducing into this traditional image that dramatic element, 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 had a clear idea of the actions of each of them and the place that each was called to occupy in the overall 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 responds to the event in their own way.
“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 a rare convincingness of the 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 Golden Ratio at the Last Supper
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. 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 sufficiently strong means in their arsenal to psychologically characterize Judas, Leonardo’s predecessors singled him out from the general group of apostles and placed him 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 is 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 left hand respond especially impulsively to Christ’s words. 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 the central figure by a significant interval, she 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 the 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 in all Italian art of the 15th century. And this was perfectly understood by the master’s contemporaries, who perceived Leonardo’s “Last Supper” as a new word in art. It amazed and continues to amaze not only with the truthfulness of its details, but also with its faithfulness “in the reproduction of typical characters in typical circumstances,” that is, with what Engels considered the main feature of realism.
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 "The Last Supper" and the many secrets it hides.
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.
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. We must admit that Ludovico Sforza he 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 I came out, the first thing I did was order Leonardo da Vinci fresco, which his late wife had once asked for, and forever stopped all entertainment at court.
The work was completed in 1498. Its dimensions were 880 by 460 cm. Many connoisseurs of the artist’s work agreed that it was best "Last Supper" You can see it 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 I 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 piece:
"The Last Supper" depicts the last Easter dinner of Jesus Christ with his disciples and apostles, which took place 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 I 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).
Now we have reached the most interesting part of the article: the secrets and features hidden in the work of the great author.
1. According to historians, the most difficult thing is Leonardo da Vinci given the writing of 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 left: here he was - the prototype of Jesus for him. "Last Supper". But, despite the fact that the image of the Teacher was painted, Leonardo da Vinci I 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 degenerate 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 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.
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 the signature is visible in the painting Leonardo da Vinci- letter "V". 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 Leonardo da Vinci placed people by... zodiac signs. According to this legend, Jesus was a Capricorn and his beloved Mary Magdalene was a virgin.
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, the monks in 1566 made a hole in the wall with the image "Last Supper" a door that “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, there were "Last Supper" and fans. The French king Francis I was so impressed by the work that he seriously thought about how to transport it to his home.
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 hidden many secrets and understatements, which more than one generation has been struggling to uncover. Many of them will remain unsolved. And contemporaries will only have to speculate about the great Italian in paint, marble, sand, trying to prolong the life of the fresco.
Leonardo da Vinci created the Last Supper fresco in the refectory of the Dominican monastery of Santa Maria delle Grazie in Milan. It was written as if Jesus and the apostles ate at the same time as the churchmen. The light comes not from the painted windows, but from the left - just like in the refectory itself. The tables and dishes are exactly like those in the church. Thus, Leonardo wanted to show that Jesus and Judas (good and evil) are much closer to people than they seem.
Plot
The Last Supper is the last meal of Jesus Christ with his 12 disciples. That evening, Jesus established the sacrament of the Eucharist, which consisted of the consecration of bread and wine, and preached about humility and love. The key event of the evening is the prediction of the betrayal of one of the students.
The closest companions of Jesus - those same apostles - are depicted in groups around Christ, sitting in the center. Bartholomew, Jacob Alfeev and Andrey; then Judas Iscariot, Peter and John; then Thomas, James Zebedee and Philip; and the last three are Matthew, Judas Thaddeus and Simon.
According to one version, it is not John who sits to the left of Christ, but Mary Magdalene. If we follow this hypothesis, then her position points to marriage with Christ. This is supported by the fact that Mary Magdalene washed Christ’s feet and dried them with her hair. Only a legal wife could do this.
It is not known exactly what moment of the evening Da Vinci wanted to depict. Probably the reaction of the apostles to the words of Jesus about the impending betrayal of one of the disciples. The argument is the gesture of Christ: according to the prediction, the traitor will stretch out his hand to the food at the same time as the son of God, and the only “candidate” is Judas.
The images of Jesus and Judas were more difficult for Leonardo than others. The artist could not find suitable models. As a result, he based Christ on a singer in a church choir, and Judas on a drunken tramp, who, by the way, was also a singer in the past. There is even a version that Jesus and Judas were based on the same person at different periods of his life.
Context
For the end of the 15th century, when the fresco was created, the reproduced depth of perspective was a revolution that changed the direction of the development of Western painting. To be precise, “The Last Supper” is, rather, not a fresco, but a painting. The fact is that technically it was made on a dry wall, and not on wet plaster, as is the case with frescoes. Leonardo did this so that the images could be corrected. The fresco technique does not give the author the right to make mistakes.
Da Vinci received an order from his regular client, Duke Lodovico Sforza. The latter’s wife, Beatrice d’Este, who patiently endured her husband’s unbridled love for libertines, eventually died suddenly. The Last Supper was a kind of last will of the deceased.
Less than 20 years after the creation of the fresco, Da Vinci's work began to crumble due to humidity. After another 40 years it was almost impossible to recognize the figures. Apparently, contemporaries were not particularly worried about the fate of the work. On the contrary, they in every possible way, wittingly or unwittingly, only worsened his condition.
So, in the middle of the 17th century, when the churchmen needed a passage in the wall, they made it in such a way that Jesus lost his legs. Later, the opening was blocked with bricks, but the legs could not be restored.
The French king Francis I was so impressed by the work that he seriously thought about transporting it to his home. And during World War II, the fresco miraculously survived - a shell that hit the church building destroyed everything except the wall with Da Vinci’s work.
“The Last Supper” was repeatedly tried to be restored, although not particularly successfully. As a result, by the 1970s it became obvious that it was time to act decisively, otherwise the masterpiece would be lost. Colossal work has been carried out over 21 years. Today, visitors to the refectory have only 15 minutes to contemplate the masterpiece, and tickets, of course, must be purchased in advance.
One of the geniuses of the Renaissance, a universal man, was born near Florence - a place where the cultural, political and economic life of the country was in full swing at the turn of the 15th-16th centuries. Thanks to the families of patrons (such as the Sforza and the Medici), who generously paid for art, Leonardo was able to create freely.
Da Vinci was not a highly educated man. But his notebooks allow us to speak of him as a genius, whose range of interests extended extremely widely. Painting, sculpture, architecture, engineering, anatomy, philosophy and so on and so forth. And the most important thing here is not the number of hobbies, but the degree of involvement in them. Da Vinci was an innovator. His progressive thought overturned the ideas of his contemporaries and set a new vector for the development of culture.
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 the 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 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.
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 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)
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 degenerate 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.
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 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 hidden many secrets and understatements, which more than one generation has been struggling to uncover. Many of them will remain unsolved.
