Leonardo's Last Supper - Visit the masterpiece of Leonardo da Vinci Leonardo's Last Supper Book online the ticket to visit Leonardo's Last Supper The Last Supper is one of Leonardo da Vinci’s most popular works and the most famous of Last Supper’s representations ever created. Such a masterpiece dating back to the Renaissance is preserved at Santa Maria delle Grazie - a church and Dominican convent in Milan – and represents an important piece for all those who love Leonardo da Vinci’s Renaissance painting. Leonardo’s Last Supper shows the dramatic moment of Jesus Christ’s final meal with his twelve Apostles, as mentioned in the Gospel according to John (13:21). During the meal, Jesus predicts that one of his disciples will betray him. The twelve apostles are placed around him and we can see they’re noticeably upset by the Prophet’s words. It is just in the representation of emotions on the faces of the 13 personages that stands the magnificence of Leonardo’s masterpiece: he makes visible the “soul motions”, an essential element for an artist, as mentioned by the same Leonardo in his A Treatise on Painting.

Jesus with the Apostles - detail of the Last Supper Book online the ticket to visit Leonardo's Last Supper The Last Supper was oil-painted on plaster, with a particular technique: a panel painting on dry walls never used before for frescoes. Probably this is the distinctive feature that makes Leonardo’s works unique in the world: the experimentation of new techniques, which unfortunately were unsuitable for a good conservation with the passing of time. As a matter of fact, also The Last Supper had a series of serious problems for conservation and so it underwent several restorations, which gradually lessened the peculiar features of Leonardo’s painting. During 2nd World War, Santa Maria delle Grazie was seriously bombed but the painting remained intact and in 1977 it underwent its last great restoration that lasted over 20 years. The intervention of the world’s greatest experts was able not just to restore the work, but also, through careful studies, to totally recreate Leonardo da Vinci’s stroke, bringing to light again the uniqueness of The Last Supper.

Apostles - detail of Leonardo's Last Supper Book online the ticket to visit Leonardo's Last Supper Nowadays, Leonardo’s masterpiece was made even more famous by the book written by Dan Brown The Da Vinci Code - and later by the movie – which fascinated millions people from all over the world, who today come to Milan to visit the famous painting and try to discover the mysteries the writer talked about. The painting and the Church Santa Maria delle Grazie are part of UNESCO World Heritage The Museum is open from Tuesday to Sunday from 8.15 a.m. to 7 p.m. (admission allowed until 6.45 p.m.). Close on Mondays, on 1st January, 1st May, 25th December. Booking is required and it’s also possible to book online .

Below, you’ll find our suggestions for guided tours to see The Last Supper by Leonardo da Vinci: The Last Supper, Leonardo da Vinci - information & booking The Last Supper, Leonardo da Vinci - information & booking Milan attraction map and transport information The Last Supper, Leonardo da Vinci, Milan, Italy - visitor information Henry James called it ‘an illustrious invalid’ while Aldous Huxley called it ‘the saddest work of art in the world’. Neither were talking about the subject matter of one of the world’s most important and moving works of art, but about centuries of appalling neglect, which saw Leonardo’s Last Supper assume the condition of a fly-blown poster on a subway wall. You’ll find the painting in the church of Santa Maria delle Grazie in Milan. In a permanent process of restoration, due to its state of decay, first sight of it makes it clear exactly what James meant. People visit the painting ‘with leave-taking sighs and almost death bed or tiptoe precautions’ he noted, and such is its peeling, crumbling state that you cannot believe the painting will still be intact should you choose to visit again. A large part of the blame lies with Leonardo da Vinci himself of course.

Quixotically he chose to complete his masterpiece with oil paint (a far less reliable medium in Renaissance times than today) rather than with the fast-drying and stable watercolour fresco technique. Within five years the painting was crumbling. Two hundred years later, Napoleon’s troops were using the wall and painting for target practice. A Second World War bomb flattened most of Santa Maria, leaving only the wall bearing Leonardo’s painting … a miracle perhaps? Two hundred years of restoration beg the question: how much of what we see is actually Leonardo’s work? And restoration, of course, was markedly more intrusive in past years than is the fashion today. And yet it still fascinates visitors, a fascination only increased by its central role in Dan Brown’s Da Vinci Code. The parlous state of the painting makes it all the more tantalising trying to work out whether that is a man or Mary Magdalene. The publication of the book seems to have achieved the impossible, to make The Last Supper Leonardo’s most famed and viewed painting, outstripping the Mona Lisa. It’s a dramatic spectacle, taking up a whole wall of the church, the life-size depictions of the figures contributing to the scene’s drama.

The figures of the disciples are grouped in a triangular Trinity formation around Christ. In a peculiar trick of perspective, the walls of the room within the canvas seem to recede from the walls of the church itself. All lines focus on the soon-to-be-crucified Christ at the centre. And even through the crumbling oils and patchy restoration, the brilliance of Leonardo’s work remains. He scoured the streets of Milan for more than two years, searching for faces to make the visages of the disciples. The monks complained, after months of work, that the face of Judas Iscariot was still not in place. The arch and acerbic Leonardo, never a great fan of the clergy, replied that in all Milan he had been unable to find a countenance sufficiently soaked in evil. But if pushed he would use the face of the prior. He got there in the end. Vasari writes that Judas’s face is ‘the very embodiment of treachery and inhumanity’. Be warned that this is a very popular attraction, and it’s advisable to attempt to book well ahead of your visit … or prepare to be disappointed. An excellent audio guide helps you to make the most of the painting.

Even if you're in Milan for just the one day - indeed you may be visiting explicitly to view the Last Supper - do try to make time to visit the principal Milan art gallery, the Pinacoteca Brera . The Last Supper - Review of Leonardo a Milano, Milan, Italy - TripAdvisor Review of Leonardo a Milano Via Circo 1, 20123 Milan, Italy (Navigli) +39 02 9280 0360 Last Supper Tour with Santa Maria delle Grazie See more tours on Viator “The Last Supper” Reviewed August 8, 2015 Leonardo Da Vinci's Last Supper at the Cenacolo Viniciano. Beautiful and breathtaking. On the opposite wall is a full wall mural of the Crucifixion. At the time I went it was 8 Euro for a visit and 3.5 Euro for an English Audio Tour. You do need reservations. You are only allowed to be in the area with the mural for 15 minutes. Upon arrival you can listen to the Audio Tour preliminary while waiting. Once in the area the audio tour takes you through the history of the church and the mural.

Another Italian Gem you have to experience while In Milan. Visited August 2015 Ask bbbob84 about Leonardo a Milano This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC. 274 reviews from our community Visitor rating Reviewed July 21, 2015 via mobile The guide of this tour was very prepared and the tour itself well organised. All was explained in details and questions answered promptly. To repeat! Visited July 2015 Ask Silvia P about Leonardo a Milano This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tintinger “One of the best guide!” Reviewed July 3, 2015 Beyond our expectation! Bravissimo Fedra!........................................................... Visited June 2015 Review collected in partnership with this attraction This business uses tools provided by TripAdvisor (or one of its official Review Collection Partners) to encourage and collect guest reviews, including this one. Helpful? Ask Tintinger about Leonardo a Milano This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.

DondaWallacePool “The Last Supper” Reviewed July 1, 2015 They are now requiring reservations to see the Last Supper. Seems the oxygen in the air is not good for the painting. The Last Supper is on a all and is much more simple than first thought by so many that copied it. I was a wonderful experience and certainly if you are in Rome...don't miss it. There is something very special about it and the building it is in. Visited August 2014 Ask DondaWallacePool about Leonardo a Milano This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Wahlei Reviewed June 22, 2015 via mobile My friend and I joined up for a Day in the Life of Leonardo Da Vinci 2.5 hrs tour to see the Last Supper based on tripadvisor ratings. Our tour guide, Fedra, was enthusiastic and full of animation. As she led the walking tour guided with her words through a radio and ear piece, we strolled thru busy city centre and ended at both the near exhibit near Teatro al Scalla and eventually the church that housed the famous last supper.

You can tell she loves her native city (and how the expo's temp ticket structure in front of Castello Sforzesco mars the city sight lines and thankfully will be removed is a common Milanese sentiment) and its infectious to learn things from that perspective. I came into the tour with slim to nil Da Vinci prior knowledge and may be easier to be more impressed. But still Da Vinci is an impressive man with his concepts and artistry. I left the tour with a healthy curiosity to WANT to learn more about this scientist. The whole first 2 hrs was a slow buildup of what to anticipate for the last supper. And upon viewing the mural in the humidity controlled room, it's so much more impressionable to understand from the tour guide, what great art historians have deciphered over the years about each apostle depicted and what Da Vinci meant to convey from scripture knowledge. Glad the painting survived thru the years! Visited June 2015 'The Last Supper' by Leonardo da Vinci - About.com About.com 'The Last Supper' by Leonardo da Vinci 10 Common Questions About 'The Last Supper' Answered The Last supper, by Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519).

Leemage/Universal Images Group/Getty Images Updated September 21, 2016. Why Did Leonardo da Vinci Paint "The Last Supper"? Da Vinci untertook this massive project because his employer requested he do so. Leonardo da Vinci worked for Ludovico Sforza, Duke of Milan, for nearly 18 years (1482-99). The Duke decided he wanted this particular religious scene of Jesus and the Apostles at the Last Supper painted, and Leonardo, who was not stupid, decided painting it made perfect financial sense. How Big Is "The Last Supper"? The painting is huge, really -- 460 x 880 cm (15 x 29 feet). It covers an entire large wall, very unlike reproductions sized to hang neatly behind one's sofa. Where Is the Painting Located? The original of the "The Last Supper" is on a wall of the refectory (dining hall) in the Convent of Santa Maria delle Grazie in Milan, Italy. If you'd care to see a reproduction, they're easily found.

As an image, "The Last Supper" is the most reproduced religious painting of all time and has been put on everything from mirrors, to mouse pads, to musical pillows. continue reading below our video 4 Tips for Improving Test Performance If Leonardo were still around, he'd be earning billions of (insert your currency here) on licensing fees alone. How Long Did It Take Leonardo To Paint "The Last Supper"? He began working on it in 1495, and finished "The Last Supper" in 1498. This is worth noting, as Leonardo was a known procrastinator with a marked tendency to leave projects unfinished. Why Is the Composition Remarkable? First, "The Last Supper" is remarkable because the disciples are all displaying very human, identifiable emotions. The biblical scene had certainly been painted before. Leonardo's version, though, was the first to depict real people acting like real people. Secondly, and of major importance -- the technical perspective in "The Last Supper" is incredible. You can see that every single element of the painting directs one's attention straight to the midpoint of the composition, Christ's head. It's arguably the greatest example of one point perspective ever created.

What Does "The Last Supper" Depict? "The Last Supper " is Leonardo's visual interpretation of an event chronicled in all four of the Gospels (books in the Christian New Testament). The evening before Christ was betrayed by one of his disciples, he gathered them together to eat, tell them he knew what was coming, and wash their feet (a gesture symbolizing that all were equal under the eyes of the Lord). As they ate and drank together, Christ gave the disciples explicit instructions on how to eat and drink in the future, in remembrance of him. It was the first celebration of the Eucharist , a ritual still performed. Specifically, "The Last Supper" depicts the next few seconds in this story after Christ dropped the bombshell that one disciple would betray him before sunrise, and all 12 reacted to the news with different degrees of horror, anger, and shock. Who Are the People Dipicted in "The Last Supper"? Looking across the picture from left to right: Bartholomew, James Minor and Andrew form a group of three. All are aghast, Andrew to the point of holding his hands up in a "stop!" gesture.

Judas, Peter and John form the next group of three. Judas, you will note, has his face in shadow and is clutching a small bag (of silver?). Peter is visibly angry and a feminine-looking John seems about to swoon. Christ is the calm in the midst of the storm. Thomas, James Major and Philip are next. Thomas is clearly agitated, James Major stunned and Philip seems to be seeking clarification. Matthew, Thaddeus and Simon comprise the last group of three figures. It appears that, when a situation turns ugly, Simon is the "go to" guy for explanations. Why Is the Painting Falling Apart? Leonardo, always the inventor, tried using new materials for "The Last Supper." Instead of using tempera on wet plaster (the preferred method of fresco painting , and one which had worked successfully for centuries), he thought he'd give using dry plaster a whirl. His experiment resulted in a more varied palette, which was his intent. What he hadn't taken into account (because, who knew?) was that this method wasn't at all durable. The painted plaster began to flake off the wall almost immediately, and people have been attempting to restore it ever since.

Why Doesn't Jesus Have Feet in "The Last Supper"? Rest assured, Leonardo intended for Christ to have feet and, in fact, painted them. Around 1650, some unnamed, woefully misguided soul -- on a mission to insert another door into the refectory -- apparently decided that the only logical spot for said door was smack dab in the middle of that wall. We probably shouldn't grumble and just consider ourselves lucky that he wasn't engineering windows. I Heard This Story About "The Last Supper." Is It True? Do you mean the story in which Leonardo first paints Jesus Christ, after searching many months for the perfect model? And then, years and years later, after painting all 11 other disciples, has an even more grueling search for the perfect model for Judas? And -- amazingly -- the same person ends up being the model for both? That story? No, it's not true, and for so many reasons (all of which are detailed in a piece at Snopes ). It's a neat bit of fiction, though, complete with a moral.

The Last Supper – Italy Travel Guide in Things to Do tagged milan / milan-guide / Things to Do / things to do in milan by Jessica “The Last Supper” by Leonardo da Vinci – Visiting Hours, Location, Admission Fees, Ticket Reservation Information Whether Milan should be included on your list of cities to visit in Italy is a matter of debate, but if you’re one of those people who simply needs to see things like Leonardo da Vinci’s masterpiece, The Last Supper, in person, you’ll go out of your way to get to Milan. Unfortunately, getting Last Supper tickets can be really difficult, especially on short notice. The enormous painting adorns one wall of a former dining hall in the monastery attached to the Santa Maria delle Grazie church in Milan, and unfortunately da Vinci’s experimentation with a new kind of fresco application has led to the painting deteriorating dramatically over the years since it was completed. Because of this, visiting The Last Supper (Il Cenacolo in Italian) isn’t just as easy as showing up and popping in on a whim. Admission is strictly limited to a certain number of people per day, and visitors must go through several sealed chambers before entering the room where the painting is.

In fact, the dining hall itself has been converted into a climate controlled environment, with the windows bricked up and the entire room sealed, simply to preserve what’s left of da Vinci’s work. Groups of no more than 25 people are admitted into the dining hall every 15 minutes (when, of course, the previous group is ushered out). Tickets are sold in advance, and even if you’re not visiting during the busy tourist season you’ll need to book well ahead of time – the calendar can (and does) fill up quickly. Last Supper Tickets: To maximize your time in Milan – which is an especially good idea if you’re only there for a few hours or just a day – book a guided Milan sightseeing tour that includes The Last Supper tickets . This guarantees you entry to see da Vinci’s famous painting, without the hassle of booking it separately yourself. Other sights included in the tour are La Scala opera house and the Duomo . DOWNLOAD OUR TRAVEL GUIDES Italy - online ticket reservation for Leonardo Da Vinci's Last Supper Leonardo's Da Vinci's Last Supper Simply select the ideal date for your visit by clicking on the calendar.

Once you've selected a date on the calendar we'll show you the ticket options that are available, one or more of which may be of interest to you. Click on the date and time links to begin the booking process - it's first come, first served so please do complete your order, especially if availability is low! Reviews How may I be sure of viewing the Last Supper in Milan? The short and blunt answer is that you cannot. Demand for viewing the Last Supper utterly outstrips supply and we, regrettably, turn down almost as many requests as we fill. The calendar shows current availability, but please be aware that we have more than one Last Supper 'product'. All viewings of Leonardo Da Vinci's incredible work are limited to 15 minutes - they sell out quickly though, and we therefore work with licenced tour guides in Milan who offer a visit to view the Last Supper as part of a larger guided tour. We also have some tickets offered as a 'bundle' with the Leonardo 'Codice Atlantico' exhibition. To be frank, we take anything and everything we can, and once you've selected a date you will be shown what is available.

For all tours, we are, unfortunately, unable to offer any reduced price tickets - infants under one year of age pay nothing (unless they are in a buggy, in which case they too will need a ticket), but everyone else will pay the standard price. This is the policy set by the Milan authorities. In passing, you may also be interested in a special Leonardo da Vinci exhibition in Milan - ' Codice Atlantico ', or, indeed, 'Leonardo's Vineyard' . *There is one further way to pretty much guarantee a viewing of the Last Supper - by taking part in either a guided tour (both on foot and by bus) of Milan, or a walking tour 'In the footsteps of Leonardo' - click here for details . Mandatory advance reservations to see Leonardo da Vinci's Last Supper in Milan - In Italy Online Piazza Santa Maria delle Grazie 2 Milan Along with Michelangelo's David, this is undoubtedly one of the most famous art works in Italy. Everyone has heard that it was recently restored and finally unveiled after years and years during which the public was not allowed to see it. But did you know why Leonardo painted this particular subject?

Did you know that it is one of the most popular subjects and that almost every Renaissance painter worth his salt has a cenacolo (as they are called in Italian) under his belt? The setting of this masterpiece may give you your best clue, for it is hanging on the wall of the refectory in the church of Santa Maria delle Grazie in Milan. What is a refectory? Why, it is the large hall where monks and nuns take their meals. Traditionally, the good brothers and sisters were supposed to talk as little as possible during their repasts, and so it was very common to give them inspirational art to contemplate as they chewed. What better subject for a refectory than the most famous meal in the Bible? In his best-seller The Da Vinci Code, Dan Brown speculates about why the artist depicted his cenacolo the way he did -- but we wager you already know all about that! Leonardo painted this jewel between 1495 and 1497.

As great an artist as he was, Da Vinci (a nickname which means "from the town of Vinci") was not trained in the art of fresco, and so instead of putting the greatest emphasis on the correct techniques and materials, he concentrated on the artistic effect he wanted to achieve, relying on oil and egg tempera, a combination which never really melded with the dry gesso foundation. Over the years, the colors faded, spotted and even fell to the ground. It didn't help, either, that the good monks later decided to cut a doorway right into a corner of the scene! In the 20th century, Leonardo's Last Supper became as famous for its pitiful state of disrepair as for its exquisite artistic rendering. Today the fresco has been brilliantly restored, and we can see what all the fuss was about. Leonardo's painting stands out from so many others because of the intense and perspicacious way that he depicted the psyches of his subjects. He chose to portray them just at the moment when Christ is telling them there is a traitor amongst them, but before He singles out the culprit. Careful observation shows how each of the men reacts, some with shock, others with fear, others with anger.

The only person in the room whose face seems utterly calm is Christ himself. It is said that Leonardo was able to achieve these subtleties thanks to the countless hours he had spent studying anatomy. Standing in front of the fresco, aided by the fact that the room in the picture is the refectory itself, and that the artist used the actual shape of the real walls to accentuate the dynamics of his artificial scene, one is able to understand why Leonardo Da Vinci is considered one of the greatest artists of all times. Two kilometers away from the "Last Supper," easily reached by subway, Brera Art Gallery is one of Italy's finest. It offers an exceptional collection of Lombard and Venetian masters, including Lorenzo Lotto's Pietà, Gentile Bellini's St. Mark Preaching in Alexandria, Mantegna's Virgin and the Cherubs and Dead Christ, Titian's St. Jerome, and Giovanni Bellini's Pietà. There is also a Virgin and Child Enthroned with Saints and Angels and the Kneeling Duke of Urbino in Armor by Piero della Francesca, a Christ by Bramante, a Wedding of the Madonna by Raphael, and a Last Supper at Emmaus by Caravaggio.

Last Supper Tickets and Visitor Information, Milan, Italy By Martha Bakerjian Updated June 15, 2016. Leonardo da Vinci's painting of The Last Supper is one of Italy's most famous art works and one of the country's most visited sights, making it one of the top sites in Italy you should book in advance . Order your tickets as soon as you know your date (you can do it up to 2 months in advance) to see Leonardo da Vinci's masterpiece inside the refectory of the Santa Maria della Grazie church in Milan. How to Buy Tickets for The Last Supper Only if people don't show up will you be able to stand in line and hope to get a ticket. Reservations are required all year and tickets can only be booked two months in advance but usually sell out very quickly. Tickets are free for those under 18 but a reservation is still required. Last Supper tickets from Select Italy can be ordered online up to two months in advance with charges in U.S. dollars. Since availability changes daily, if you don't see the date you want you can check back again.

If you find a date that's good for you, consider booking it right away because tickets are difficult to get and availability may change quickly. continue reading below our video Tips for Visiting Milan Their ticket price also includes a $5 gift certificate to be used for other tours or services from Select Italy . If you'd like to take a tour, or are too late to get an advance reservation, Viator offers a Milan Last Supper Tour with a local guide that includes guaranteed tickets . If you have a hotel booked already, you might try contacting them to see if they can get tickets for you. Sometimes hotels, especially higher end hotels, book tickets in advance for guests. Note: The Cenacolo Vinciano site is no longer selling tickets online. Important Visiting Information for The Last Supper Only 20 to 25 people can view the Last Supper at one time, for a maximum of 15 minutes. You must arrive in advance of your scheduled time in order to be admitted. Visitors must be dressed in appropriate attire for entering a church. Santa Maria della Grazie Church is 5 to 10 minutes away from the train station by taxi or about a 15 minute walk from the Duomo.

To get to Santa Maria delle Grazie by public transportation, take the Metro Red line to Conciliazione or the Green line to Cadorna. See our Milan Transportation Map The museum is closed on Mondays. Want to Know More About the Last Supper? Leonardo completed his painting of The Last Supper, or Cenacolo Vinciano, in 1498 in the refectory of Santa Maria della Grazie church, where it still resides. Yes, the monks ate in the shadow of The Last Supper. The church and convent of Santa Marie della Grazie has been designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Leonardo da Vinci in Italy Da Vinci left his mark with frescoes, drawings, and inventions in Florence and other Italian cities as well as in Milan. Follow the Leonardo da Vinci Trail in Italy to find out where to see more of his works. Italian musician uncovers hidden music in Da Vinci's 'Last Supper' - YouTube Italian musician uncovers hidden music in Da Vinci's 'Last Supper' Want to watch this again later? Sign in to add this video to a playlist. Need to report the video? Sign in to report inappropriate content. The interactive transcript could not be loaded. Loading...

Rating is available when the video has been rented. This feature is not available right now. Please try again later. Published on Jul 21, 2015 SHOTLIST November 9, 2007 1. Digital reproduction of musical score of concealed music outlined on a picture of the The Last Supper (++audio of organ playing the concealed music represented by the notes++) ++FILE 2. Zoom out painting from ceiling of painting The Last Supper 3. Detail of painting: hands and bread on table 4. Pan left painting from apostles faces to the face of Jesus (++audio of organ playing the music said to be concealed in the picture++) October 22, 2007 5. Author Giovanni Maria Pala entering room 6. Author's hands on computer - pan up to screen showing image from CD 7. SOUNDBITE(Italian) Giovanni Maria Pala, Author of The Hidden Music "The concealed music in the painting comes out from a symbolic bond, between the bread and the hands of the apostles. It is a strong bond, because the bread hints at the body of Christ, the hands are the instrument of eucharistic consecration.

Moreover also in the Roman Canon when the priest pronounces these words: 'He took the bread in his hands, holy and venerable hands,' these have a fundamental significance, there should have been something else uniting this whole, and this whole was just the bread and the hands alluding to the body of Christ." 8. The Last Supper, fade into painting with red circles highlighting hands and bread on table of painting, image from the CD 9. SOUNDBITE (Italian) Giovanni Maria Pala, Author of The Hidden Music "The Last Supper represents the Passion (of Jesus), simply a music to underline its pace had to be a dramatic music, that's why this music sounds like a requiem.'' November 9, 2007: 10. Croce Bookshop owner placing books on shelf 11. Concealed Music books being placed on shelf 12. Woman looking at book 13. Woman opening book and taking CD out 14.

SOUNDBITE (Italian) Nadia Coppola, Owner Croce Bookshop: "Concerning all this kind of attention on Leonardo, maybe people like me working in bookshops look down a little bit on all of this, because when there is too much attention on a topic it always makes you think of something partially done for commercial purposes." 15. Exterior Croce Bookshop MUSICAL LAST SUPPER An Italian musician and computer technician claims to have uncovered musical notes encoded in Leonardo Da Vinci's painting The Last Supper, raising the possibility that the Renaissance genius might have left behind a musical composition to accompany the scene depicted in the 15th-century wall painting. "It sounds like a requiem," said Giovanni Maria Pala. " It's like a soundtrack that emphasises the Passion (of Jesus)." Painted from 1494 to 1498 in Milan's Church of Santa Maria delle Grazie, the "Last Supper" captures a key moment in the Gospel narration of Jesus' last meal with the 12 Apostles before his arrest and crucifixion, vividly depicting the shock of Christ's followers as they learn that one of them is about to betray him.

Pala, a 45-year-old musician who lives near the southern Italian city of Lecce, began studying Leonardo's painting in 2003, after hearing on a news program that researchers believed the artist and inventor had hidden a musical composition in the work. In a book released on Friday in Italy, Pala explained how he interpreted elements of the painting that have symbolic value in Christian theology as musical clues. Pala first saw that by drawing the five lines of a musical staff across the painting, the loaves of bread on the table as well as the hands of Jesus and the Apostles could each represent a musical note. "The concealed music in the painting comes out from a symbolic bond, between the bread and the hands of the apostles," he told AP Television. You can license this story through AP Archive: Find out more about AP Archive: Category 15 Things You Should Know About 'The Last Supper' | Mental Floss 15 Things You Should Know About 'The Last Supper' Leonardo da Vinci's The Last Supper is one of the most admired, most studied, and most reproduced paintings the world has ever known.

But no matter how many times you've seen it, we'll bet you don't know these details. 1. It's bigger than you think. Countless reproductions have been made in all sizes, but the original is about 15 feet by 29 feet. 2. The Last Supper captures a climactic moment. Everyone knows the painting depicts Jesus' last meal with his apostles before he was captured and crucified. But more specifically, da Vinci wanted to capture the instant just after Jesus reveals that one of his friends will betray him, complete with reactions of shock and rage from the apostles. In da Vinci's interpretation, the moment also takes place just before the birth of the Eucharist, with Jesus reaching for the bread and a glass of wine that would be the key symbols of this Christian sacrament. 3. You won't find it in a museum. Although The Last Supper is easily one of the world’s most iconic paintings, its permanent home is a convent in Milan, Italy. And moving it would be tricky, to say the least. Da Vinci painted the religious work directly (and fittingly) on the dining hall wall of the Convent of Santa Maria delle Grazie back in 1495. 4.

Although it’s painted on a wall, it's not a fresco. Frescos were painted on wet plaster. But da Vinci rejected this traditional technique for several reasons. First off, he wanted to achieve a grander luminosity than the fresco method allowed for. But the bigger problem with frescos—as da Vinci saw it—was that they demanded the painter rush to finish his work before the plaster dried. 5. Da Vinci used a brand new technique on his future masterpiece. In order to spend all the time he needed to perfect every detail, da Vinci invented his own technique , using tempera paints on stone. He primed the wall with a material that he hoped would accept the tempera and protect the paint against moisture. 6. Very few of da Vinci's original brushstrokes remain. Although the painting itself was beloved, da Vinci's tempera-on-stone experiment was a failure. By the early 16th century, the paint had started to flake and decay, and within 50 years, The Last Supper was a ruin of its former glory. Early restoration attempts only made it worse. Vibrations from Allied bombings during World War II further contributed to the painting's destruction.

Finally, in 1980, a 19-year restoration effort began. The Last Supper was ultimately restored , but it lost much of its original paint along the way. 7. A hammer and nail helped Da Vinci achieve the one-point perspective. Part of what makes The Last Supper so striking is the perspective from which it's painted, which seems to invite the viewer to step right into the dramatic scene. To achieve this illusion, da Vinci hammered a nail into the wall, then tied string to it to make marks that helped guide his hand in creating the painting's angles. 8. Renovations eliminated a portion of The Last Supper. In 1652, a doorway was added to the wall that holds the painting. Its construction meant that a lower central chunk of the piece—which included Jesus' feet—was lost. 9. The Last Supper's Judas may have been modeled after a real criminal. It is said that the look of every apostle was based on a real-life model. When it came time to pick the face for the traitorous Judas (fifth from the left, holding a bag of telltale silver), da Vinci searched the jails of Milan for the perfect looking scoundrel.

10. There may be a biblical Easter Egg here. To the right of Jesus, Thomas stands in profile, his finger pointing up in the air. Some speculate that this gesture is meant to isolate Thomas's finger, which becomes key in a later Bible story when Jesus rises from the dead. Thomas doubts his eyes, and so is entreated to probe Jesus' wounds with his finger to help him believe. 11. The meaning of its food is up for debate. The spilled salt before Judas has been said to represent his betrayal , or alternately, is seen as a sign of his bad luck in being the one chosen to betray. The fish served has similarly conflicted readings . If it is meant to be eel, it might represent indoctrination and thereby faith in Jesus. However, if it's herring, then it could symbolize a nonbeliever who denies religion. 12. It's inspired some wild theories. In The Templar Revelation , Lynn Picknett and Clive Prince propose that the figure to the left of Jesus is not John, but Mary Magdalene, and that The Last Supper is key evidence in a cover-up of the true identity of Christ by the Roman Catholic Church.

Musicians have speculated that the true hidden message in The Last Supper is actually an accompanying soundtrack. In 2007, Italian musician Giovanni Maria Pala created 40 seconds of a somber song using notes supposedly encoded within da Vinci's distinctive composition. Three years later, Vatican researcher Sabrina Sforza Galitzia translated the painting's "mathematical and astrological" signs into a message from da Vinci about the end of the world. She claims The Last Supper predicts an apocalyptic flood that will sweep the globe from March 21 to November 1, 4006. 13. The Last Supper also inspired popular fiction. And not just The Da Vinci Code. A pervasive part of the painting's mythology is the story that da Vinci searched for ages for the right model for his Judas. Once he found him, he realized it was the same man who had once posed for him as Jesus. Sadly, years of hard-living and sin had ravaged his once-angelic face. As compelling a story as this is, it’s also totally false . How do we know this story isn’t true?

For one thing, it's believed that da Vinci took about three years to paint The Last Supper, mostly due to the painter's notorious tendency to procrastinate. For another, stories of spiritual decay manifesting itself physically have long existed. It's likely that someone along the way decided to saddle The Last Supper with a similar narrative in order to give its moral message a sense of historical credibility. 14. It's been mimicked for centuries. Fine art and pop culture have paid tribute to The Last Supper with a cavalcade of imitations and parodies. These range from a 16th century oil painting reproduction to new interpretations from Salvador Dali , Andy Warhol , Susan Dorothea White , and Vik Muniz , who made his out of chocolate syrup. Recreations of The Last Supper's distinctive tableau can also be found in the Mel Brooks comedy History of the World, Part 1 , Paul Thomas Anderson's stoner-noir Inherent Vice , and Luis Buñuel's Viridiana, which was declared "blasphemous" by the Vatican. It's also been a plot point in The Da Vinci Code and Futurama . 15. Want to see The Last Supper in person?

Better book (way) in advance. Though The Last Supper is one of Italy's must-see sites, the convent in which it is located was not built for big crowds. Only 20 to 25 people are allowed in at a time in visiting blocks of 15 minutes. It is recommended visitors book tickets to see The Last Supper at least two months in advance. And be sure to dress conservatively, or you may be turned away from the convent. More from mental_floss...

Question: In which Italian city would you find Leonardo's Last Supper?
Answer: Milan