What secrets did Leonardo da Vinci encrypt in his "Last Supper"

2024 Author: Richard Flannagan | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-15 23:55

The Last Supper by Leonardo da Vinci is one of the most famous paintings in the world. This work of art was painted between 1494 and 1498 and represents the last meal of Jesus with the apostles. The painting was commissioned by Ludovic Sforza. The "Last Supper" by Leonardo is still in its original place - on the wall in the refectory of the Santa Maria delle Grazi monastery.

Plot

In 1494, Leonardo da Vinci began what would become one of the most influential works of art in history. The Last Supper is Leonardo's visual interpretation of the event recorded in all four Gospels. In the evening, Christ gathered his apostles together to arrange a final dinner and tell them that he knew the coming event about the betrayal of one of them. All of his 12 followers reacted to this news with different emotions: fear, anger, bewilderment, and even hatred.

Unlike similar works, Leonardo chose to illustrate that particular moment in the gospel story when Jesus tells his followers that one of them will betray him, paying great attention to individual expressive reactions. Referring to the Gospel, Leonardo depicts Philip asking: "Lord, is it me?" And the viewers see that, together with Christ, at the same time, Judas pulls his hand to the saucer on the table. The calm composure of Jesus with his head and eyes lowered contrasts with the excitement of the apostles. They are all grouped in groups of three. James, to the left of Christ, waves his arms angrily, while the unbelieving Thomas, behind James, points up and seems to be asking, "Is this God's plan?" Thomas at this moment is trying to touch the wounds of Christ in order to believe in the resurrection. Peter with a knife in his hand (he later cut off the ear of a soldier trying to arrest Jesus) approaches John, who is sitting to the right of Jesus. Judas grabbed the pouch containing his reward for identifying Jesus.

At the same time, Leonardo is also the sacrament of the Eucharist (Christ blessing the meal - the miraculous transformation of bread and wine into the body and blood of Christ).

The technique of performing a masterpiece

"The Last Supper" by Leonardo da Vinci, a huge painting 4, 6 x 8, 8 meters, was made of tempera and oil on a plaster blank instead of technique. Why was the fresco technique popular at that time not used? She disliked Leonardo for two reasons. First, he wanted to achieve more brightness than the fresco method allowed. Secondly, the quick-drying technique of the fresco required quick work and haste. And Leonardo is known for his meticulous and time-consuming work process. The painting was done using his own created pigments directly on dry plaster on the wall, and unlike the murals, where pigments were mixed with wet plaster, it did not stand the test of time. Even before the painting was completed, part of the canvas had already begun to peel off the wall and Leonardo had to adjust it again. To create this unique work, Leonardo created a huge number of preparatory sketches.

Composition: hammer + nail

Two tools - a hammer and a nail - helped Leonardo achieve the desired perspective. What makes The Last Supper so striking in particular is the perspective that seems to invite the viewer to step onto the dramatic stage and take part in Christ's meal. To achieve this illusion of depth on a flat surface, Leonardo da Vinci hammered a nail into a wall and then tied a rope to it to make marks that helped create perspective. This technique was rediscovered during the Renaissance. Another detail of the composition: the twelve apostles are grouped into four groups of three, and there are also three windows. The number three is often a reference to the Holy Trinity in Catholic art. In addition, the painting is symmetrical with the same number of figures on either side of Jesus.

Magdalene or John?

Many attentive viewers of the picture are interested in one question - after all, it is obvious that a woman is depicted to the right of Jesus, while the church has been sincerely convincing people for millennia in the version about the Apostle John (he also wrote the "Gospel of John the Theologian")? strikingly feminine. These are thin graceful hands, beautiful delicate features and a gold necklace. An interesting fact - this woman in her pose and dress is a mirror image of Christ: the same style of cloak and robe, the same head tilt. No one at the table wears clothes that reflect Jesus' clothes in this way. Both Jesus and, presumably, Magdalene are in their inner thoughts, as if they do not notice all the variety of emotions of the surrounding apostles. They are both serene and calm. The central place in the overall composition is occupied by the figure-letter that Jesus and this woman create together - this is a giant, outstretched letter "M" (quite possibly, this is the author's message to the Magdalene).

Symbolism

A number of art historians and scholars are actively discussing the meaning of the vessel with spilled salt near the elbow of Judas. Spilled salt can symbolize failure, loss of religion or faith in Christ. The second symbolic riddle is whether the fish on the table is herring or eel. This is important because each has its own symbolic meaning. In Italian, the word "eel" - "aringa" means suggestion. In the Northern Italian dialect, the word “herring” - “renga” describes a person who denies religion (and this is consistent with Jesus' biblical prediction that his apostle Peter will deny that he knows him). Thus, the eel symbolizes faith in Jesus, and the herring, on the contrary, symbolizes the unbeliever.

The Last Supper in Music and Mathematics

According to Italian musician Giovanni Maria Pala, da Vinci included musical notes in The Last Supper. In 2007, Pala created a 40-second melody from notes that were allegedly hidden on the stage. Three years later, Vatican researcher Sabrina Sforza Galizia translated the painting's "mathematical and astrological" signs into Leonardo da Vinci's message about the end of the world. She claims that The Last Supper predicts an apocalyptic flood that will sweep the globe from March 21 to November 1, 4006.

The Last Supper truly captivated the audience with its impressive scale, unique composition, mysterious plot, symbolism and riddles. The Last Supper by Leonardo da Vinci is undoubtedly one of the most important works of art of all time, both for its innovative approach and for the impact it has had on artists of all times and peoples.