“The Last Supper”, Leonardo da Vinci’s masterpiece.

Description/Inventory
“The Last Supper” is a mural painting by Leonardo da Vinci, created between 1495 and 1498. It’s housed
in the refectory of the Convent of Santa Maria delle Grazie in Milan, Italy12. The painting represents the
scene of the Last Supper of Jesus with his Twelve Apostles1.

Formal Analysis
The painting measures 460 cm × 880 cm (180 in × 350 in) and covers an end wall of the dining hall at the
monastery3. Leonardo’s version appears neatly arranged, with Jesus at the center of an extensive table
and the Apostles to his left and right1. The scene is not a frozen moment but rather a representation of
successive moments1.

Iconography/Symbolism
The Last Supper represents a pivotal moment in the life of Jesus Christ. It is then that he shared his final
meal with apostles in Jerusalem, just before his crucifixion4. The painting captures the apostles’ reactions
and emotions when Jesus announces that one of them will betray him5.

Interpretation
The painting captures the dramatic scene described in several closely connected moments in the
Gospels, including Matthew 26:21–28, in which Jesus declares that one of the Apostles will betray him
and later institutes the Eucharist1. Each one of the 12 disciples reacts in a manner that Leonardo
considered fit for that man’s personality1.

Craftsmanship
Leonardo da Vinci’s “Last Supper” was made with tempera and oil on a gypsum preparation instead of
the technique commonly used in the fresco period6. Due to the methods used, a variety of
environmental factors, and intentional damage, little of the original painting remains today despite
numerous restoration attempts3.

Value Judgment
“The Last Supper” is one of the most famous artworks in the world, and among Leonardo’s most
celebrated works3. Its handling of space, mastery of perspective, treatment of motion, and complex
display of human emotion has made it one of the Western world’s most recognizable paintings3. Some
commentators consider it pivotal in inaugurating the transition into what is now termed the High
Renaissance3.