Analyzing Leonardo Da Vinci's 'The Last Supper'

Ross Curiel

Integrated Fine Arts 101

June 16, 2012

The Last Supper

Introduction

Ludovico Sforza commissioned The Last Supper painting, Duke of Milan sometime in the area of 1495 most believe, which was in the remaining years of Leonardo da Vinci 's eighteen year employment under the Duke. It is believed and accepted that this painting approximately took four years for completion as Leonardo da Vinci was a well-known procrastinator and that it was believed he was trying to stretch out his employment under the generous Duke for a while longer. The original fresco actually measured fifteen by twenty nine feet and adorned a wall at The Convent of Santa Maria delle Grazie in Milan, Italy. While Leonardo da Vinci 's version
Christ in this painting is seen to be breaking bread unlike in the Leonardo’s where He is calm. This brings about life into the painting and engages the viewer to believe there were activities going on.

In Leonardo’s painting of the last supper, Jesus is wearing a red robe with a blue cloak over it and has his arms stretched unlike in Tintoretto’s painting where Jesus is wearing a pink robe with blue cloak. The similarity here is the blue cloak. Additionally, the distinguished angels in Tintoretto’s painting are pointing at Jesus. Another difference between the two is the number of figures available in both painting. Tintoretto’s painting has many figures as compared to Leonardo’s (Nicholas, 2010).

Both paintings have Jesus in them and the twelve disciples. In both, Jesus is the center of attraction and both paintings have tables. The ceilings of both paintings are very similar to each in that they are made of
It has been repainted not less than four times over the centuries, it survived by existence of Napoleon’s troops, it was nearly damaged when the convent was bombed and substantially destroyed in 1943, and when everything else had failed to totally destroy the painting, damage from candle and cigarette smoke almost did. It was in early 1900’s that Luigi Cavengahi who was a restoration expert realized that the last supper was in this case painted in tempera, not oil as had been thought. After a number of attempts to restore the painting failed, a major restoration was begun in 1979 by Pinin Brambilla Barcilon. This restoration, which involved removing all of the additions made by previous attempted restorations, took twenty years to complete. According to a report by Luigi Bianco from the School of Arts & Sciences at the University of Pennsylvania, the restoration therefore demanded accuracy at the micron level, and attention to the smallest details. Microscopic pictures were utilized to magnify most areas of the painting. Reflectoscopy is a technology that has been proven to restore original paintings and can aid in restoring Leonardo da Vinci’s painting through removal of accumulated layers that has in time destroyed the initial beauty of the painting. Tests done on artistic paintings have proven to yield best results in restoration efforts through use of this