Jesus on the fresco by Leonardo da Vinci The Last Supper
1. According to historians, the most difficult thing for Leonardo da Vinci was to write two characters: Jesus and Judas. The artist tried to make them the embodiment of good and evil, so for a long time he could not find suitable models.
Once an Italian saw a young singer in the church choir - so spiritualized and pure that there was no doubt: here he is - the prototype of Jesus for his "Last Supper". But, despite the fact that the image of the Teacher was painted, Leonardo da Vinci corrected it for a long time, considering it not perfect enough.
Judas remained the last unwritten character in the picture. The artist wandered for hours through the most lustful places, looking for a model for painting among the degraded people. And almost 3 years later, he was lucky. In a ditch, there was an absolutely downcast type in a state of strong alcoholic intoxication.
The artist ordered to bring him to the workshop. The man almost did not stay on his feet and did not understand where he was. However, after the image of Judas was painted, the drunkard approached the picture and admitted that he had already seen it before.
To the bewilderment of the author, the man replied that three years ago he was completely different, led a correct lifestyle and sang in the church choir. It was then that some artist approached him with a proposal to paint Christ from him.
So, according to historians, Jesus and Judas were written off from the same person at different periods of his life. This once again emphasizes the fact that good and evil go so close that sometimes the line between them is imperceptible.
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By the way, during the work, Leonardo da Vinci was distracted by the abbot of the monastery, who constantly rushed the artist and argued that he should paint a picture for days, and not stand in front of it in thought.
Once the painter could not stand it and promised the abbot to write off Judas from him if he did not stop interfering in the creative process.
Jesus and Mary Magdalene. Fragment of a fresco
2. The most discussed secret of the fresco is the figure of the disciple, located on the right hand of Christ. It is believed that this is none other than Mary Magdalene and her location indicates the fact that she was not the mistress of Jesus, as is commonly believed, but his lawful wife. This fact is confirmed by the letter "M", which is formed by the contours of the bodies of the pair.
She supposedly means the word "Matrimonio", which in translation means "marriage." Some historians argue with this statement and insist that the painting shows the signature of Leonardo da Vinci - the letter "V".
The first statement is supported by the mention that Mary Magdalene washed the feet of Christ and wiped them with her hair. According to tradition, only a legal wife could do this.
Moreover, it is believed that the woman was pregnant at the time of her husband's execution and subsequently gave birth to a daughter, Sarah, who laid the foundation for the Merovingian dynasty.
3. Some scholars argue that the unusual arrangement of students in the picture is not accidental. Say, Leonardo da Vinci placed people according to … zodiac signs. According to this legend, Jesus was a Capricorn, and his beloved Mary Magdalene was a virgin.
Mary Magdalene. Fragment of a fresco
4. It is impossible not to mention the fact that during the bombing during the Second World War, a shell that hit the church building destroyed almost everything, except for the wall on which the fresco was depicted. Although, the people themselves not only did not take care of the work, but also acted with it truly barbaric.
In 1500, a flood in the church caused irreparable damage to the painting. But instead of restoring the masterpiece, the monks in 1566 made a door in the wall depicting the "Last Supper", which "cut off" the characters' legs.
A little later, the Milanese coat of arms was hung over the head of the Savior. And at the end of the 17th century, a stable was made from the refectory. The already dilapidated fresco was covered with manure, and the French were competing with each other: who would hit the head of one of the apostles with a brick.
However, The Last Supper also had fans. The French king Francis I was so impressed with the work that he seriously thought about how to transport it to his home.
Fresco the last supper
5. No less interesting are the reflections of historians about the food depicted on the table. For example, near Judas, Leonardo da Vinci depicted an overturned salt shaker (which at all times was considered a bad omen), as well as an empty plate.
But the biggest subject of controversy is still the fish in the painting. Contemporaries still cannot agree on what is painted on the fresco - herring or eel.
Scientists believe that this ambiguity is not accidental. The artist specially encrypted the hidden meaning in the painting. The fact is that in Italian "eel" is pronounced like "aringa".
We add one more letter, we get a completely different word - "arringa" (instruction). At the same time, the word "herring" is pronounced in northern Italy as "renga", which means in translation "one who denies religion."
For an atheist artist, the second interpretation is closer.
As you can see, a single picture contains many secrets and understatements, over the disclosure of which more than one generation is struggling. Many of them will remain unsolved.
