"The Last Supper" In London!

While reading, I come across a lot of fascinating material about "The Last Supper". Some stories, some facts, some theories and a few myths too. There has been speculation about the possibility of a hidden mathematical code or message in the painting. Some have also talked about a musical score embedded in it. Some believe that the person seated to the right of Jesus is actually Mary Magdalene, one of his followers who travelled with him and was present at his crucifixion, burial and resurrection. The upturned salt cellar in front of Judas is symbolic of betrayal. And instead of giving a halo to Jesus, Leonardo placed a window so as to provide the same effect.

The painting is supposed to contain references to the number 3 in keeping with the Christian belief in the Holy Trinity. The apostles are seated in groups of three. There are three windows. And the figure of Jesus is shaped like a triangle. 

As intriguing as all this is, the most relevant piece of information for me at this point of time is that an important copy of the original exists in London. I am going to be in London after Milan. This offers me an opportunity to check out Giampietrino's 16th century copy. It is on display at the Royal Academy of Arts in Central London. I visit the gallery on a pleasant day in the afternoon, less than a week after seeing the original in Milan.

The academy is a privately funded art institute based in Burlington House on Piccadilly. Established in 1768, it promotes visual arts through various activities. I walk through some halls and climb the grand staircase to go to the next level. One of the helpful staff members guides me to the section housing the copy. One has to go past a wall that acts as a partition and then the painting comes in full view. It is smaller than the original, about 119 in x 309 in, but still impressive in size.

Photos by Lata

Unlike the original, there is no time restriction here. One can spend as much time as one wishes to. In fact, there are comfortable sofas placed right in front of the painting for visitors who might want to gaze at the work seated comfortably. The room is well-lit. And the painting is much brighter than the original. The academy purchased this oil on canvas in 1821 from H. Fraville. The copy is very faithful to the original, but it lacks the 3-dimensional effect and depth to some extent because the top third part of Leonardo's composition is missing in it. Details like the tableware, food items, and the overturned salt cellar are visible more clearly. Also prominent are the feet of Jesus that were lost due to cutting of a door in the original.

There is a constant flow of visitors, but it is not crowded here. People rest on the plush sofas for a while and have a good look at the display. They take pictures, discuss the work with each other, and savour it from far and near. As for me,  I am happy I got a chance to see both, the original and the copy in a short span of time!

This post is the last in the three-part series on "The Last Supper". Read the first and the second part here.

An Up-Close Look At "The Last Supper!"

The next morning, I am at the ticket office at eight. There is just one lady ahead of me. She walks away soon. I wonder if she was there for cancelling or buying a ticket. As I walk to the window and request a ticket, the lady looks into her records and asks, is 3:30 in the afternoon okay? I say, yes. It is ten Euros without guide and 13.50 with an English-speaking guide, she says and waits for my answer. I choose the latter option. She swipes my card and hands over the receipt to me saying, be at the entrance ten minutes before your time. Soon I am out of the office thanking my stars.

I return to my hotel for breakfast. After breakfast, it is time to prepare for what I am going to see in the afternoon. Many interesting facts emerge while reading about the painting. It was the last decade of the 15th century. The main church building had been remodelled into a mausoleum for the ruling family of Milan. Ludovico Sforza, the Duke of Milan commissioned the painting as a centrepiece for the mausoleum, and Leonardo da Vinci began working on it in 1495. Later, the structure was used as a convent, and this particular chamber as its dining hall. 

The door that was cut into the painting made the feet of Jesus disaapper

It was customary to paint frescoes on wet plaster. It demanded the work to be completed quickly while the plaster was still wet. Leonardo did not wish to finish the work in a hurry and so he chose to paint on a dry wall. So this work is not exactly a fresco in reality. He coated the dry wall with a primer of white lead. This would increase the brightness of the oil and tempera that was to be applied later. Now Leonardo could afford to work slowly and achieve the desired effect of gradual shading in his painting.

It took him three years to complete the work. Within a few decades, the paint started flaking as it had not adhered properly to the dry wall. It has undergone several restorations since then. In 1652, a door was cut into the wall by the residents of the convent. It destroyed the lower part of the work in the centre, making the feet of Jesus disappear. Then, Napoleon's soldiers used the premises as a stable in the 18th century, causing further damage. The building was bombed in World War II, but the painting survived miraculously because of effective sandbagging. 

After going through such details, I make way for the convent with heightened curiosity and reach a good 30 minutes before my allotted slot. 20 minutes later, I join others in my group at the entrance. Our guide arrives. She is a middle-aged lady who speaks English with a heavy accent. She could be Italian or French. She leads us through a narrow corridor into a wider corridor. The narrow corridor is lined with informative displays. We walk along the longer and wider corridor that runs parallel to the chamber holding the masterpiece. We reach a closed door and are asked to wait there. We are to enter only after the previous group has left. After a brief wait, the door is opened to let us in.

We find ourselves entering through the centre of the longer arm of a rectangular room. It is a bit dark inside. The iconic painting occupies the wall that stands to our right. A small barricade separates it from the visitors. It is large, 180 in x 350 in to be precise. The colours are dull, but the painting is not lifeless. It speaks to you through the gestures and facial expressions of Jesus and his 12 apostles. The long table in front of them with its frugal spread, the windows in the background, the walls on either side and the ceiling exist in perfect symmetry giving the picture an uncanny 3-dimensional feel. I have my ears tuned to the guide's commentary and my eyes focused on the wonder in front of me.

The angelic face of Jesus is the pivot around which the whole scene is planned. It represents the few moments after Jesus tells his apostles that one of them is going to betray him before sunrise. This arouses anger, shock and rage in them and each of them reacts with a different gesture and expression. It is not possible to study each one in detail in the limited time window available, so it is a good idea to take in the picture in its entirety and interpret it later with the help of prints. Of course some homework before the visit helps immensely. And with no disrespect to the guide, if you have enough prior knowledge about the painting, the guide does not add much value to the viewing experience. 

Photos by Lata

Photography without flash is permitted. People pose in front of the painting and get their
pictures taken. The clock is ticking. The guide directs us to the wall opposite "The Last Supper" which is adorned with a fresco by Giovanni Donato da Montorfano on the crucifixion of Jesus. It is an intricate, elaborate and impressive work, dwarfed by the giant with which it shares this space.

A stern matronly lady who manages the traffic of visitors to this chamber indicates that our 15 minutes are over. The next batch is waiting outside the door. They will be let in only after we leave. The exit takes us to a small garden which opens outside, close to the entrance. There is a gift shop on the way for those who wish to buy memorabilia. 

To be continued

Read the first part here.

A Rendezous With "The Last Supper"!

We have seen depictions of the well-known "The Last Supper" umpteen times in books, magazines, posters, and elsewhere. Numerous artists have painted the scene that portrays the last meal shared by Jesus with his apostles in Jerusalem before he was crucified. It has been one of the most popular visuals in Christian art, and several painters have brought it alive using different media. Leonardo da Vinci's mural painting done in the late 1490s remains the most well-known example to date. It is housed by the refectory of the Convent of Santa Maria delle Grazie in Milan.

Recently when visiting Milan, I find to my pleasant surprise that our hotel is almost next door to the convent. I walk to it the next morning. The dome at the back of the building in red brick is impressive. Restoration work is on in the front facade and on the side wall. There is a mild drizzle. Not enough to deter visitors from standing in the front square to appreciate the structure that houses a church and a convent. I enter the church. It is calm and beautiful. A portly priest is performing a ritual with a group of people. Dressed in flowing white robes, he is a picture of love and compassion. I spend some quiet moments observing the ongoing ceremony. When it is over, people seek not only blessings from the priest; but also a picture with him. He obliges smiling in a grandfatherly way.

After admiring the interiors of the church leisurely, I walk out. The drizzle has stopped now.
The celebrated mural is in a chamber and one needs to buy a ticket to enter. Groups of only 25-30 people are allowed entry every 15 minutes.

I decide to give it a try next day. The next morning is bright and sunny. I arrive at the convent all eager and hopeful. To my utter disappointment, the lady at the ticket counter informs me that they are sold out for the next few weeks. Having come so close to the treasure and not being allowed a dekko is surely disheartening. I ask her, not even one person? She must have been used to such queries from hundreds of agitated tourists. She asks me to come at "eight tomorrow morning" and try. If there is a cancellation, I stand a chance. I decide to try my luck. I am staying only next door, and reaching this place at eight is not difficult at all.

I walk out of the ticket office and rest at the short boundary wall surrounding the convent. The convent is painted in yellow and there is a small garden with lush green lawns and a few trees inside the compound. A tall, narrow, red-coloured banner is placed vertically at the entrance to the convent. It says "Cenacolo Vinciano" in white letters. I see people who have been fortunate enough to get a ticket taking their turns to enter. Some of them have come with their own guides. There is a group of Chinese tourists. One of them holds a print of the mural aloft while a guide instructs them with a pointer on the intricacies of the painting. This is to help them make the most of their brief rendezvous with the maestro's work. I admire their sincere and scholarly approach towards appreciating a masterpiece.

Photos by Lata

The square is mostly quiet, with people sitting on the the few benches along the border. There is a single makeshift stall selling souvenirs. Occasionally one hears the church bells toll. And trams rattling frequently along the adjoining street, Corso Magenta.

I leave hoping for a fruitful visit the next day! 

To be continued