Leonardo da Vinci painted The Last Supper between 1495-1498 while working for the ruling Sforza family in Milan, Italy. It was commissioned for the refectory of the monastery of Santa Maria delle Grazie. The painting depicts the moment when Jesus announces that one of his apostles will betray him, capturing the apostles' varied reactions. Over the centuries, the painting deteriorated substantially due to experimental techniques and damage from a bomb in WWII. It underwent a major restoration from 1979-1999 to repair and preserve what remains of da Vinci's masterpiece.

1. Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519) was an apprentice for the Florentine
painter and sculptor, Verrocchio. Around 1481, he traveled to Milan to
work for the ruling Sforza family. He spent a lot of time on military and
civil engineering projects, including urban renewal and fortification plans
for the city. He also worked for various patrons including the Duke of
Milan

2. Refectory of the Monastery of Santa Maria delle Grazie,
Showing Leonardo's Last Supper. This slide shows the room (restored)
where Leonardo’s painting is situated. It was originally used as a dining
hall for the monks of this monastery. The coats of arms at the top are
those of patron Ludovico Sforza, the duke of Milan and his wife, Beatrice.

3. Leonardo da Vinci. The Last Supper. 1495–1498. 15’ 2" × 28’ 10”.
Commissioned by the Sforza family. Tempera and oil on plaster (experimental
technique). This painting began to deteriorate shortly after Leonardo finished
it. By mid-16th century, the figures could be seen only with difficulty. In the
17th century, monks cut a doorway through the lower center. When the door
was cut, so was the painting.

4. “The painting’s careful geometry, the convergence of its perspective lines, the
stability of its pyramidal forms, and Jesus calm demeanor at the mathematical
center of all the commotion together reinforce the sense of gravity, balance,
and order. The clarity and stability of this painting epitomizes High
Renaissance style.

5. The ebb and flow of movement in the Last Supper is the outward effect of
the inner causes of emotion; the individual movement of each disciple
typifies their personalities. For example, at the group to the left of Christ:
look at the impulsive surge of shock expressed by Peter's angular motion,
as he elbows his way towards Christ which is carefully contrasted with the
sleepy curves of young John, and set in counterpoint to the tense recoil of
Judas, those tendons contract like taut bow strings.....
The action of the painting centers around the variety of reactions caused
by Christ's pronouncement,
'I say to you that one of you is about to betray me' (Matt 26:21).
Christ's own hands, his right closing towards a glass of wine and his left
directed towards a piece of bread, suggest his institution of the Eucharist.
Peter holds a knife which prefigures his severing of a soldier's ear, and
which is also pointed towards Bartholomew at the end of the table,
perhaps in anticipation of the latter's martyrdom by flaying.

6. The theme of the Last Supper was a common theme in Renaissance painting.
This example is by Andrea del Castagno, 1447. Width approx. 16’ × 32’,
fresco. There is a great difference between Castegno and Leonardo.

7. This painting has been
through so much in the
span of more than 500
years.
Here are photos of the
building containing Last
Supper after WWII
bombing. The painting
narrowly escaped complete
destruction.

8. The last restoration of this painting was completed in 1999 (begun in
1979). As you can see in this detail, there is very little actual paint left.
This is a surprising fact!