Events in Milan and surroundings: detail
From May 25 2010 to May 24 2011
The Last Supper of Leonardo da Vinci
In the years 1494-1498 Leonardo da Vinci created his famous "Last Supper", in which Jesus announces that he will be betrayed by one of his disciples:
"But, behold, the hand of him that betrayed me is with me on the table. And truly the Son of man goeth, as it was determined: but woe unto that man by whom he is betrayed! And they began to inquire among themselves, which of them it was that should do this thing." (LK 22, 21-23)
The position of the present holies in groups of 3 persons, Jesus himself alone in the middle, the vehement gesticulating and miming of the angered disciples as well as the bearing of their hands give drama and reality to the immage.
Because of the stereoscopic perspective of the room's depth and the painted windows in the background, Leonardo da Vinci gives to his Supper light and shadow effects, that let Jesus in the immage's middle seem just more shiny.
Against the traditional technique for wall painting, Da Vinci used for "The Last Supper" a technique of oil and tempera, for that he created atmospherical effects and a special mood.
Soon after finishing the work the living and shining original colour lost aura. The humid north-wall absorbed the colour. This process was strengthened by another door opening in the under middle of the painting in the dining room, that divided the painting in two parts.
The painting survived a bomb attack of the allies in 1943. It was restaured many times. During the last restauration from 1979-1999, one of the most large-scale in history, a lot of colour-levels from former restaurations were removed.
Leonardo (1452-1519), genious scientist and artist let a enigmatical work to humankind, that lets open questions and stays so mysterious and fantastic.
Tickets reservation Last Supper Tel. +3902 8942 1146
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