The document summarizes Leonardo da Vinci's famous painting "The Last Supper". It describes the painting's massive size (15x29 feet), location in a refectory in Milan, Italy, and depiction of Jesus and his disciples at the Last Supper. The composition directs the viewer's eye to Jesus and uses perspective techniques. The painting took Leonardo 3 years to complete from 1495-1498. It is now deteriorating due to Leonardo experimenting with an unstable fresco technique using dry plaster instead of the traditional wet plaster method.

1. The Last Supper
By Lonardo Da Vinci.

3. How Big Is It?
It's huge, really - 460 x 880 cm (15
x 29 feet). It covers an entire large
wall.
Where Is It?
The original mural is on a wall of
the refectory (dining hall) in the
Convent of Santa Maria delle
Grazie in Milan, Italy.

4. What Does Last Supper Depict?
Last Supper is Leonardo's visual interpretation of an
event chronicled in all four of the Gospels. The evening
before Christ was betrayed by one of his disciples, he
gathered them together to eat, tell them he knew what
was coming and wash their feet (a gesture symbolizing
that all were equal under the eyes of the Lord).
As they ate and drank together, Christ gave the disciples
explicit instructions on how to eat and drink in the
future, in remembrance of him. It was the first
celebration of the Eucharist, a ritual still performed.
.

5. Why Is the Composition
Remarkable?
First, because the disciples are all
displaying very human, identifiable
emotions. Leonardo's version, though, was
the first to depict real people acting like
real people.
Secondly, and of major importance - the
technical perspective in Last Supper is
incredible!
You can see that every single element of
the painting directs one's attention
straight to the midpoint of the
composition, Christ's head. It's arguably
the greatest example of one point
perspective ever created.

6. How Long Did it Take
Leonardo to Paint
This?
He began working on it in 1495, and
finished Last Supper in 1498. This is
worth nothing, as Leonardo was a
known procrastinator with a marked
tendency to leave projects
unfinished.

7. Who is in It? Thomas, James Major and
Looking across the picture from left to right: Philip are next. Thomas is
Christ is the calm in the midst of the storm. clearly agitated, James
Major stunned and Philip
Bartholomew, James Minor and Andrew seems to be seeking
form a group of three. All are aghast, Andrew clarification.
to the point of holding his hands up in a
"stop!" gesture.
Judas, Peter and John form the next
group of three. Judas, you will note,
Matthew, Thaddeus and Simon comprise the
has his face in shadow and is clutching
last group of three figures. It appears that,
a small bag (of silver?). Peter is visibly
when a situation turns ugly, Simon is the "go
angry, and a femine looking John
to" guy for explanations.
seems about to swoon.

8. Why Is it Falling
Apart?
Leonardo, always the inventor, tried
using new materials for Last Supper.
Instead of using tempera on wet plaster
(the preferred method of fresco painting,
and one which had worked successfully
for centuries), he thought he'd give using
dry plaster a whirl.
His experiment resulted in a more varied
palette, which was Leonardo's intent.
What he hadn't taken into account
(because, who knew?) was that this
method wasn't at all durable.
The painted plaster began to flake off the
wall almost immediately, and people
have been attempting to restore it ever
since.

9. Thanks for your
attention
Miss Marinés B
October, 2010