Il Cenacolo di Leonardo da Vinci in Santa Maria delle Grazie
il Cenacolo, S. Maria delle Grazie, Cupola
In 1463, the captain of the Francesco Sforza troops donated a piece of land to the Dominicans. On this land there was a cloister with frescoes depicting the Madonna delle Grazie. The monks commissioned Guiniforte Solari to build a church and convent and the work began in 1463.
The new Lord of Milan, Ludovico il Moro, decreed that the apse and presbytery should be knocked down to enlarge the church and he commissioned Donato Bramanteto to supervise the work. Bramenteto, who came from Urbino, structurally enlarged the church and added large semi-circular apses, a wonderful drum-shaped dome surrounded by columns and a spectacular cloister and refectory.
The fresco was commissioned in 1495 and completed in 1487. The representation by Leonardo da Vinci depicted the moment immediately after Christ said, “One of you will betray me”. The twelve apostles reacted in differing ways, their movements and expressions are magnificently captured in Leonardo’s work. He focussed on the impact of Christ’s words on the apostles and on their reactions. This broke with the traditional representation of the past, upsetting some ideas.
The genius of the artist is seen especially in the use of light and strong perspective. The three windows behind the table companions and the landscape beyond create a luminosity that set against the backlight illuminates the characters from the side as well. The result is a combination of a particular classically Florentine and chiaroscuro perspectives.
If we compare this work with others by artists like Castagno, the differences are obvious. In the classical interpretation, Judas the traitor is depicted alone whereas the other apostles and Jesus are all on the other side of the table sitting beside each other. Leonardo rejected this and had Jesus in the midst of the apostles, he also created four groups of three figures on either side of Christ who was the central figure. From the left: Bartholomew, James the Younger and Andrew who are stunned by Jesus’ declaration. The second group is made up of Peter, Judas and John. Peter is leaning towards John who is seated beside Jesus and is pushing Judas forward. The figure of Judas is highlighted without isolating the others. The group on the right is made up of Matthew, Thaddeus and Simon who are involved in an animated discussion and are not looking at Jesus. In the centre and perplexedly leaning towards Jesus are Thomas, James the Elder and Phillip who are engaged assuring Jesus of their allegiance.
In the centre we find the figure of Jesus in the fresco vanishing point.
Unfortunately, Leonardo did not work in oil but in tempera on a two-layered surface of plaster that was not damp proof. It was just 1568 when Vasari first pointed out problems with this painting technique.
History, art and culture
The Duomo
The city of Milan was founded by Celts and has seen four particularly splendid periods:
– between the 4th and 5th centuries, it was the capital of the Western Roman Empire and became established as one of the hubs of the new Christian world;
– the period between the 11th and 13th centuries saw the constitution and consolidation of “Free Comunes” that were soon stronger than neighbouring territories and led to the fight for freedom against German rulers that came to a head with the Battle of Legnano (1176).
– between the 14th and 16th centuries, the city was governed by the Viscontis, then the Sforza family and was home to the dukedom of Milan. it was subjugated first by the French and then the Spanish. this was the time of the renaissance that motivated Gian Galeazzo Visconti, Francesco Sforza and Ludovico il Moro to produce their greatest works like “il Duomo, il Castello Sforzesco, S. Maria delle Grazie and San Satiro”. The two great artists Bramante and Leonardo were actively working at this time.
Castello Sforzesco
– Milan gradually became a modern city and during the 1800’s magnificent neo-classical palaces began to be built. It became the capital of the Kingdom of Italy under Napoleon and was home to the patriotic movement during the political revival.
The layout of the city is like a bicycle wheel with the Duomo at the hub and the ancient canal acting like the rim that marks out the mediaeval quarter of which little remains today. A second “rim” marked out by the former Spanish ramparts outlining out the expansion that took place in the 16th century. Milan centre is a maelstrom of people, bars, shops and busy streets.
There are three universities: The Statale, the Bocconi and the Cattolica. Cultural life in this city never stops. Apart from the museums and churches, there is one of the most famous theatres in the world: il Teatro alla Scala.
Among the most well-known streets and places we have: Piazza del Duomo, Piazza della Scala, Via Monte Napoleone, Piazza Castello, La Pinacoteca di Brera, Il Duomo, Il Castello Sforzesco and La Pinacoteca Ambrosiana.
Milan today is a metropolis in every sense yet has kept its long history intact. As often happens in many modern cities, the old lives alongside the new, the ultra-modern alongside the classical.
UNESCO INSCRIPTION
Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II
Milan, Church of Santa Maria delle Grazie with “The Last Supper” by Leonardo da Vinci
Santa Maria delle Grazie e il Cenacolo di Leonardo da Vinci
(The Church of Santa Maria delle Grazie with “The Last Supper” by Leonardo da Vinci).
Inscription N° 93 1980 C (i)(ii)
Criterion (i): represents a masterpiece of human creative genius.
Criterion (ii): shows an important exchange of human values, in one period all cultural area of the world, in developing architecture and technology, monumental or town art, or landscaping.
