The Last Supper

The Last Supper, arguably the most famous fresco painting in the world, was painted in Milan during the 1490’s. The painting represents the last meal shared by Jesus with his disciples before his capture and death. It shows specifically the moment when Jesus has said “one of you will betray me.” It tells the story of the consternation that this statement caused to the twelve followers of Jesus. Records detail how Leonardo worked on it: some days he would paint like fury, other days he would spend hours just looking at it, and other days he would walk the streets of the city searching for a suitable hand and facial gestures to use in capturing the emotion of the disciples. When finished, the painting was acclaimed as a masterpiece. But no sooner was it finished than it began to crumble. Leonardo, instead of using the reliable fresco technique of the time, had experimented with different paint-binding agents, which were subject to mold and flaking.