Each work of Leonardo da Vinci is unique and mysterious. So there are many secrets around the Last Supper. Even the name of the canvas bears sacred meaning. There are many hidden messages and symbols in the work.

Not so long ago legendary work was restored. After the restoration of the canvas, it was possible to learn a lot of new things, although the whole picture was washed away is still not clear. There are constantly new and new assumptions about hidden meaning paintings.

It is Leonardo da Vinci that is rightly considered the most mysterious person in fine arts. Regarding his work, there is a cardinal different opinions. Someone is considered Leonardo practically a holy man, someone is sure that he sold his soul to the devil. But, no matter what the opinion is about the work and personality of Leonadro da Vinci, no one doubts his genius.

History of the painting

It's hard to believe, but the monumental painting " The Last Supper"was made in 1495 by order of the Duke of Milan, Ludovico Sforza. Despite the fact that the ruler was famous for his dissolute disposition, he had a very modest and pious wife, Beatrice, whom, it is worth noting, he respected and revered very much.

But, unfortunately, the true strength of his love manifested itself only when his wife died suddenly. The duke's grief was so great that he did not leave his own chambers for 15 days, and when he left, the first thing he ordered was Leonardo da Vinci's fresco, which his late wife had once asked for, and forever put an end to his rampant lifestyle.

The artist completed his unique creation in 1498. The dimensions of the painting were 880 by 460 centimeters. Best of all, the Last Supper can be seen if you move 9 meters to the side and rise 3.5 meters up. Creating a picture, Leonardo used egg tempera, which subsequently played a cruel joke on the fresco. The canvas began to collapse in just 20 years after creation.

famous fresco located on one of the walls of the refectory in the church of Santa Maria delle Grazie in Milan. According to art historians, the artist specifically depicted in the picture exactly the same table and dishes that were used at that time in the church. With this simple technique, he tried to show that Jesus and Judas (Good and Evil) are much closer than we think.

1. The identity of the apostles depicted on the canvas has repeatedly become the subject of controversy. Judging by the inscriptions on the reproduction of the painting, stored in Lugano, these are (from left to right) Bartholomew, Jacob the Younger, Andrew, Judas, Peter, John, Thomas, James the Elder, Philip, Matthew, Thaddeus and Simon the Zealot.

2. Many historians believe that the Eucharist (communion) is depicted on the mural, since Jesus Christ points with both hands to the table with wine and bread. True, there is alternative version. It will be discussed below...

3. Many more school course know the story that the images of Jesus and Judas were the most difficult for da Vinci to come up with. Initially, the artist planned to make them the embodiment of good and evil and for a long time could not find people who would serve as models for creating his masterpiece.

Once an Italian, during a service in a church, saw a young man in the choir, so inspired and pure that there was no doubt: here it is - the incarnation of Jesus for his "Last Supper".

The last character, the prototype of which the artist still could not find, was Judas. Da Vinci wandered the narrow Italian streets for hours in search of suitable model. And now, after 3 years, the artist found what he was looking for. There was a drunkard lying in the ditch, who had long been on the edge of society. The artist ordered the drunkard to be brought to his studio. The man practically did not stay on his feet and weakly understood where he had ended up.

After the image of Judas was completed, the drunkard approached the painting and confessed that he had seen it somewhere before. To the bewilderment of the author, the man replied that three years ago he was a completely different person - he sang in the church choir and led a righteous life. It was then that an artist approached him with an offer to paint Christ from him.

So, according to the assumptions of historians, the same person posed for the images of Jesus and Judas in different periods own life. This fact serves as a metaphor, showing that good and evil go hand in hand and there is a very thin line between them.

4. The most controversial is the opinion that according to right hand sitting from Jesus Christ is not a man at all, but none other than Mary Magdalene. Her location indicates that she was the lawful wife of Jesus. From the silhouettes of Mary Magdalene and Jesus, the letter M is formed. Allegedly, it means the word matrimonio, which translates as “marriage”.

5. According to some scientists, the unusual arrangement of the disciples on the canvas is not accidental. Say, Leonardo da Vinci placed people according to the signs of the zodiac. According to this legend, Jesus was a Capricorn and his beloved Mary Magdalene was a Virgin.

6. It is impossible not to mention the fact that during the Second World War, as a result of a shell hitting the church building, almost everything was destroyed, except for the wall on which the fresco is depicted.

And before that, in 1566, local monks made a door in the wall depicting the Last Supper, which “cut off” the legs of the fresco characters. A little later, a Milan coat of arms was hung over the head of the Savior. And at the end of the 17th century, a stable was made from the refectory.

7. No less interesting are the reflections of people of art on the food depicted on the table. For example, near Judas, Leonardo painted an overturned salt shaker (which at all times was considered bad omen), as well as an empty plate.

8. There is an assumption that the apostle Thaddeus, sitting with his back to Christ, is actually a self-portrait of da Vinci himself. And, given the nature of the artist and his atheistic views, this hypothesis is more than likely.

I think that even if you do not consider yourself a connoisseur of high art, you are still interested in this information. If so, share the article with your friends.

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If fate has thrown you into northern capital Italy, then the fresco of the Last Supper by Leonardo da Vinci is definitely worth a look. No wonder BlogoItaliano put her on the second line of the TOP list. Another thing is to get tickets to attend the Supper almost impossible if you don't know where and when to look. But before we talk about tickets, let's pay a little attention to the Masterpiece itself.

Of all the works of Leonardo da Vinci that have survived to this day, the fresco The Last Supper in Milan one of the most notable. And this is recognized even by those who are ready to tirelessly prove that its plot absolutely does not correspond to the events described in the New Testament. The point, however, is not in the plot and not in the views of the artist, which he allegedly wanted to reflect in the drawing, painting the wall of the refectory of the monastery Santa Maria delle Grazie…

Leonardo da Vinci: the genius of incompleteness

How much do you know contemporary artists who would be honored to work for the most senior persons at the age of 30? The high mortality rate in the Middle Ages is not an excuse, since it was mostly infants who died (if there were no epidemics), and at 50-60 years old, men did not look like such deep old people at all. Especially if they belonged to one of the 2 upper classes or chose the path of trade or craft.

Art in those years was also a craft - no better and no worse than others, and there was no shortage of craftsmen. Young, old, talented and not so much. Especially in Italy, where every more or less large city had its own school of fine arts.

Self-propelled wooden cart by Leonardo da Vinci

Leonardo became famous by the age of 30 not at all as an artist, but as a mathematician and engineer. The era was restless: the Italian dukes went on close campaigns by no means with friendly visits. As a result, the demand for high-quality fortifications and armor-piercing equipment was decent, and in 1482 Leonardo was invited to Milan.

However, all city fortifications, as well as equestrian statue father of the Duke of Milan Lodovico Sforza, were never erected. Left unfinished and almost all paintings ordered by Leonardo the Duke and his entourage. Why?

The Last Supper by Leonardo da Vinci: from conception to creation

Leonardo was interested in a new riddle. He decided to thoroughly investigate the patterns aerial perspective, according to which the further an object is, the more indistinguishable its true color becomes. As before, nature itself guessed this riddle for Leonardo. The artist creates a series of sketches and several paintings in which he first appears sfumato- light haze, fuzzy contours, soft shadow, which soon became feature his paintings.

Leonardo was also worried about the organization of space on the canvas - a linear perspective, and the problem of the "golden section". It was then (in 1490) that the famous drawing "Vitruvian Man" appeared, representing accurate calculations body proportions.

Vitruvian Man by Leonardo da Vinci

But the opportunity to move from theory to practice in three directions immediately presented itself only in 1494. It is this date that most researchers refer to as the starting date: The Last Supper by Leonardo da Vinci, which existed until then only in the imagination of the artist, began to take shape on the monastery wall. The size of the fresco is 460×880 cm.

Work continued until 1498. Trying to make the figures more voluminous, and, therefore, more natural, Leonardo, carried away by the idea of ​​conveying the principles of aerial perspective on a static surface, paints the refectory not with tempera on wet plaster, as was customary, but with oil paints on ordinary, dry.

But this is nothing more than an experiment, albeit generously paid. The plot is secondary for the artist. The main thing is to recreate a harmonious space with the help of accurate calculations. “Believe harmony with algebra,” as another genius would write a few hundred years later.

Milanese monastery of Santa Maria delle Grazie

According to legend, prior of the monastery Santa Maria delle Grazie constantly urged on by Leonardo, who, in retaliation, gave the features of Judas Iscariot a resemblance to the abbot. It is possible that this is just a legend: the Dominicans (and the monastery was precisely Dominican) were famous for their artists and knew the value of this work - both materially and temporally.

The Last Supper of Leonardo da Vinci: victory and defeat of a genius

Leonardo's experiment was only partially successful: oil paints he soon had to correct with the same tempera. However, the palette of shades that makes the figures of the Savior and his disciples as natural as possible at a small distance, thanks to the genius of the master, remained unchanged.

But most of all, the artist's contemporaries were struck by the illusion huge space behind those sitting at the table, which was involuntarily transferred to the real space, absorbing its features and forcing the observers to feel literally inside the fresco.

The Last Supper by Leonardo da Vinci

The strength of the impact of this work on the viewer is such that even serious researchers, studying it, still do not take into account what lies literally on the surface, and delve into symbolism and plot. Although the stunning effect of the Last Supper is just the result of a huge work of the mind and cold calculation, a kind of equation based, nevertheless, on strict natural laws, which Leonardo followed all his life. Only? Everyone must find the answer to this question for himself.

How to see the Last Supper fresco

Not a single, even the most high-quality reproduction, can convey the full power of the genius of Leonardo, who solved and solved one of the most difficult riddles nature through the creation of a fresco The Last Supper in Milan. A fresco to this day adorns one of the walls of the refectory in Santa Maria delle Grazie at the address: Piazza Santa Maria delle Grazie 2 | Corso Magenta, 20123 Milan, Italy (Centro Storico).

The church is open for visits daily from 7:30 to 19:00 (break from 12:00 to 15:00). On holidays and holidays Santa Maria delle Grazie welcomes guests from 11:30 to 18:30.

Access to the room with the fresco is strictly limited. And before that, you will have to buy tickets for visiting the Last Supper, allowing you to be in the refectory for 15 minutes.

By the way, everything is not easy with them: being one of the main attractions of Milan, the Last Supper is insanely popular with guests of the city. Tickets for it are sold out 2 months in advance, so the chances of watching the Supper "with a swoop" are very illusory. Tickets are not sold by hand either, which is strictly monitored by the security service.

Thus, for those who are just preparing for a trip to Italy and want to see the Last Supper with their own eyes, there is only one acceptable option - online booking.

Where to buy tickets for the Last Supper

The Last Supper has always been insanely popular in Milan, but when we first wrote this article [in 2013], tickets were still a bit easier. Now [in 2018], reviewing available ways to take tickets, we must admit that everything has become even more complicated.

Limiting the number of tickets on sale has led many operators to shamelessly inflate prices. It often comes to the point that travelers are willing to pay up to $100 for a ticket just to see the mural. Nevertheless, there are still several ways to get to see the Last Supper for adequate money.

Method 1: Weekend in Italy

A site where you can look for tickets without overpaying for an excursion is Weekend in Italy. Tickets can be found here quite often, because the site is the main supplier for many foreign agencies, but there are some peculiarities.

Tickets for the Last Supper here are only available as a bundle with another purchase. For example, you can combine your visit to the Supper with a ticket to the Brera Gallery, Leonardo's Atlantic Codex in the Ambrosian Library, or take the Milano Card for 24 hours. If you choose only the Last Supper, then the system is simply will not let you in to the stage of buying a ticket.

Since these sights are some of the most iconic in Milan, this is a great way to compose interesting plan all day long at once.

By the way, the Last Supper is far from the only attraction in Italy, tickets for visiting which should be booked in advance. In more detail about such places, we already recommend the article to everyone who wants to "take" from a vacation in Italy to the maximum.

Method 2: Excursion with a visit to the Last Supper

Another way to see The Last Supper is to do so as part of an English-language tour. So many foreigners do this, and not only Russian speakers. Because it is often much easier and cheaper to go on an excursion [albeit on English language], rather than buying tickets from resellers at inadequately inflated prices.

Look detailed description excursions and place an order for participation can be on this page.

What to do if there are no tickets for the desired date (addition of 2017)

When BlogoItaliano found out about such a critical situation with tickets, we contacted a familiar guide Oksana in Milan (review about her) and asked if something could be done so that BlogoItaliano readers could still get to view frexi even with such a hype on tickets .

And Oksana encouraged…

It turns out that she periodically helps travelers, booking a tour“In the footsteps of Leonardo da Vinci”, get to view the frescoes. Moreover, it is often possible to get tickets even at the price of the box office. According to Oksana, she does not give a 100% guarantee of visiting the fresco, but for long years practice, she had only one case when tourists could not get inside.

If you were attentive, you probably noticed that we are talking about only about tickets in addition to the tour. But it's three o'clock tour in Russian with one of the most sought after guides in Milan.

By the way, in addition to the Last Supper by Leonardo da Vinci, the tour also includes a visit to another masterpiece of the master in the Sforzesco castle and his painting “Portrait of a Musician” in the Ambrosian Gallery. Well, for the most persistent admirers of the genius, Oksana also includes the Museum dedicated to the inventions of Leonardo in the tour.

You can contact Oksana to clarify the details of the excursion with her by e-mail or via the form feedback below.

The Last Supper by Leonardo da Vinci. Mary Magdalene or the Apostle John?

Truly, there is no secret in the world that someday would not become obvious, for manuscripts do not burn. And we continue to debunk one of the most shameless historical myths, relative to the corrupted Christian Church name Mary Magdalene. From the recent it became important for us to have importance coverage of this topic, because Rigden Djappo himself speaks with great respect about her and her "great feat", which we will definitely come to later, as evidenced by the book " Sensei 4. Primordial Shambhala"materials describing the completely unknown history of this mysterious and beautiful woman. Very soon in the section "Indigenous Knowledge" we will post detailed content this invaluable, in our opinion, literary work.

The Last Supper is one of the greatest works of the Renaissance. And one of the most mysterious. Today, the best art critics are working on deciphering the symbols of the fresco. The editors of Interesting to Know have collected the most interesting guesses, versions and proven facts about one of the most recognizable works of Leonardo da Vinci.

"The Last Supper"

The famous fresco is located in the refectory church of Santa Maria delle Grazie (Milan, Italy). And it was ordered by the patron of the artist - the Duke of Milan Ludovic Sforza . The ruler was an adherent of an openly dissolute life, and the beautiful and modest wife Beatrice d'Este did not in the least prevent the young duke from living the way he was used to. By the way, his wife loved him strongly and sincerely, and Louis himself was attached to her in his own way. And after sudden death The duke's wife did not leave his room in grief for about two weeks. And when he left, the first thing he turned to da Vinci was with a request to paint a fresco, which his wife asked for during her lifetime. By the way, after the death of Beatrice, the duke forever stopped all kinds of entertainment at court.

Churches of Santa Maria delle Grazie (Milan, Italy)

Da Vinci began work on the fresco in 1495, its dimensions are 880 by 460 cm. Although, the painting should be called a fresco with a small caveat: after all, the artist did not work on wet plaster at all, but on dry plaster. This little trick allowed him to edit the painting multiple times. And taking into account the fact that The Last Supper was finally ready only in 1498, it was a technical necessity.

Already during the life of the artist, "the last meal of Jesus Christ" was considered his best work. According to the scripture, it was during dinner that Jesus told the apostles about the imminent betrayal. Da Vinci wanted to portray what is happening exclusively from a human point of view. And the emotions that the apostles experienced, he searched among ordinary people. By the way, it is believed that this is why there are no halos over the heroes. To portray the reaction to the words of the Master, he wandered around the city for hours, started conversations with strangers, made them laugh, upset and watched the changes in their faces.

"The Last Supper" in the refectory

The work on the fresco was almost completed, the last unwritten heroes were Jesus and Judas. It is believed that in these heroes the artist concluded the concepts of good and evil, and for a long time could not find models suitable for such absolute images. But one day da Vinci saw a young singer in the church choir. The young man made an indelible impression on the artist, and it was he who became the prototype of Jesus.

Judas remained the last unwritten character. In search of a model, the artist wandered for a long time through the haunts. Judas "should" become a truly degraded person. And only 3 years later, such a person was found - in a state of intoxication, in a ditch, absolutely down and dirty. The artist ordered the drunkard to be brought to the workshop, where Judas was written off from the man. When the drunkard came to his senses, he went up to the fresco and said that he had seen the paintings. Da Vinci asked in bewilderment when it was ... And the man replied that 3 years ago, when he sang in the church choir, an artist approached him with a request to copy Christ from him. Thus, according to the assumptions of some historians, Jesus and Judas were written off from the same person at different periods of his life.

Sketches of The Last Supper

During the work of the artist, the abbot of the monastery was often in a hurry, he kept insisting that the picture should be painted, and not stand in front of it in thought. Then da Vinci threatened that if the abbot did not stop interfering, he would certainly write off Judas from him.

The most discussed figure in the fresco is the disciple, located on the right hand of Christ. Presumably, the artist depicted Mary Magdalene. It is even believed that she was the wife of Jesus, and this is precisely what da Vinci alluded to by positioning her in such a way that the opposites of the body of Jesus and Mary formed the letter "M" - "Matrimonio", which translates as "marriage". However, other historians dispute this assumption, believing that the painting does not depict the letter “M” at all, but “V” - the artist’s signature. The first version is also supported by the fact that Mary Magdalene washed Jesus' feet and wiped them with her hair, and according to traditions, only a legal wife could do this.

Jesus on the fresco "The Last Supper"

There are also curious legend that the apostles were arranged by the artist according to the signs of the zodiac. And if you believe this version, then Jesus was a Capricorn, and Mary Magdalene was a virgin.

An even more curious fact is that during the bombing during World War II, almost the entire building of the church was destroyed, except for the wall with a fresco. The people themselves, on the whole, took little care of the masterpiece of the Renaissance, and treated it far from mercifully. For example, after the flood of 1500, which caused serious damage to the painting, it was never restored. In 1566 in the wall "The Last Supper" a door was made that "crippled" the heroes of the fresco. And at the end of the 17th century, the refectory was converted into a stable.

Jesus and Mary Magdalene

Historians, by the way, disagree about the food depicted in the fresco. For example, the question of what kind of fish is depicted on the table - herring or eel - is still open. A number of researchers believe that this ambiguity was originally intended by da Vicni. The question is somewhat purely linguistic: in Italian, "eel" is pronounced as "aringa", and if you double the "r", you get a completely different meaning - "arringa" (admonition). At the same time, in Northern Italy, "herring" is pronounced as "renga", and in translation it also means "one who denies religion", and da Vinci himself was just like that. By the way, near Judas there is an overturned salt shaker, which has been considered a bad omen since ancient times, and the table and dishes depicted in the picture are an exact copy of those that were in the church at the time the picture was created.

A fresco is considered a recognized masterpiece of world art. Leonardo da Vinci "The Last Supper" in the refectory of the Milanese church of Santa Maria della Grazie. The artist chooses climax The Last Supper, when Christ says to the disciples: "One of you will betray me." The viewer reveals a complex inner world man, his thoughts and experiences.

Right in the middle of the rectangular table (it is this place that is considered honorable) Leonardo da Vinci places the figure of Christ, highlighting it against the background of a light doorway. He listens to the speeches of the twelve apostles, sitting on either side of him. Look at the face of Jesus, which for so long the artist did not dare to paint. Why is it so sad and calm? Maybe because he is well aware of the future fate? And he humbly ready to accept it?..

Yes, it is not the majestic divine image that is shown by the figure of the Savior, so familiar to us from many works of art, but the personification of love, mercy and meekness.

But what about the students? Each of them in his own way responds to the ongoing event, each has his own response to the words of Christ. Their faces, postures and gestures express almost all human emotions - from confusion to sadness, from surprise to anger, from disbelief to deep shock. Contrary to established tradition, Leonardo places Judas among his faithful and devoted disciples. Presented in a sharp turn, he looks at Christ with fear and convulsively clutches a purse with thirty pieces of silver. Its shaded, rough, ugly profile contrasts with the brightly lit lovely face John.

Yes, it is impossible to take your eyes off this fresco: it is so significant and beautiful. And it becomes clear why Leonardo da Vinci prepared for its creation for about twenty years, why he made so many sketches and sketches for it, why his work progressed so slowly. Material from the site

On this page, material on the topics:

• The evolutionary teachings of Leonardo da Vinci

• The Last Supper Report

• Report of the Last Supper

Questions about this item:

• What are the features of the artistic embodiment of the plot of the Last Supper in works of art known to you? Compare them to each other.