The Waterbury Democrat., 1941-07-05

:. i opened to the public on May l. Sc great was the press to view it that 1t became necessary at once to re- strict admission by card only. There is no charge, but if one wishes tc see 1t on Sunday, it is necessary tc apply three weeks in advance; on Saturday, two weeks in advance; other days, three days in advance Hours are from o'clock till sunset The sunset hour is said to be the hour when it is seen at its best but the applicant has no choice. Sc far I have been only able to see il betweeni and 2.
 The window is set in the wall oi what is known as the Court o1 Honor, unit of Forest Lawn Mausoleum Columbariu1E The Conrt of Honor is 84 feet in length 34 feet in width, rising to vaultec ceiling over 50 feet high. In the center are seats for about a hun dred people, and the admission al one time is limited to the seating capacity. The atmosphere is that of the cloister. In my opinion tht window is too far from the observer to bring out all it's details. It i: like sitting about, two-thirds of the way in front of theater and look ing at something in the rear of the stage. To get the best effect one really needs glass.
 For 1t should be understood that this is not just 6 picture of thirteen men seated at a supper table. You will see this in the postcard which I inclose, and which gives only g general idea of the window itself. Il represents crucial moment in the history of the world.
 Now, when the even was come,
 He sat down with the twelve. And as they did eat, He said, "Verily I say unto you that one of you shall betray me" And they were exceedingly sorrowful, and began every one of them to say unto Him, Lord, 1t it I?" And he aIl- swered and said, "He that dippeth his hand with me in the dish, the same shall betray me.
 "The Son of Man goeth as 1t is written of him; but woe unto that
 man by whom the Son of Man is betrayedl It had been good for that man if he had not been
 born" s..t
 Then Judas which betrayed Him, answered and said, Master, is it IF" He said unto him, Thou hast said"
 Expression
 We are told that those best quail flied to interpret the meaning of this picture agree that da Vinci's thought was to depict the expression on the various faces as Christ is pronounce ing the words, "One of you shall be- tray me" "the ineffable sadness of the Saviour, the wrath of Peter, the villany of Judas, and also the hands, which are treated with a subtle mastery of pantonaine never before attempted or since equaled." !"
 Studying the picture from left to right, the figures of the twelve ap- pear in the following order: l, Bar ttlolomew; 3. James the Lesser; 8 Andrew; 4. Judas; 5. Peter; 6 John; 2. Thomas; 8. James the Greater; 9. Philip; 10. Matthew; H. Thaddeus; 12. Simon.
 Several interesting incidents, il seems, have been told in connec- tion with da Vinci's work. One is that he searched a long while for a subject for Judas and at last found one in 8 human derelect in the city prison. This man on view ing the completed picture said, "1t is l."
 still more difficult to understand according to what is probably tradi- ton, Is that da Vinci encountered a much more difficult problem in try ing to depict the features of Christ himself. The disciples were human, but Christ was divine. There was nothing to go by. According to the booklet quoted above, universally accepted as a fact is the story that the face of the Saviour was left u1l- finished because da Vinci would not seek to create on earth the heavenly grace and beauty incarnated by Jesus. AS the picture was fin- ished, 1t seems to be left to the imagination to determine just who did 1t.
 have never seen any statement by Forest Lawn as to the cost of this picture. But when we con- sider the time it took, the skill re- Quired to produce 1t, and all the attendant expense, should say 1t could not have been less than one hundred thousand dollars.