The Last Supper, by Leonardo de Vinci
We’ve seen it in art books, in Hollywood films, in photographs… almost everyone knows the highly famous painting of “
The Last Supper” by Leonardo da Vinci, but what not everyone knows is that this universal masterpiece of painting can be found in Milan.
Leonardo da Vinci in Milan
Leonardo da Vinci was born in Florence in 1452, but it was in
Milan where, in the service of the duke
Ludovico Sforza, he grew as an artist and engineer. The Italian city was in those days open and full of new ideas, very much in keeping with Leonardo da Vinci’s restless spirit.
His main works in the city were as an engineer: the loch system in the Naviglio Grande, various studies for the dome of the cathedral, structures of the stages of theatres… but he also painted diverse portraits of the Milan court and some of his best works here, including two versions of the “
Virgin of the Rocks” and “
The Last Supper”.
Visiting the Last Supper in Milan
“
The Last Supper” (1495-1497) is a mural which lies in the refectory of the
Santa Maria delle Grazie convent in Milan. It was commissioned by Ludovico Sforza. Although it’s often described as a fresco painting, in reality Leonardo da Vinci used an experimental technique, using oil and temper on dried plaster. It’s a fragile technique, and the piece has needed numerous restorations.
The painting reflects the moment of the last supper, in which Jesus announced to his disciples that there was a traitor among them. Leonardo da Vinci used real people as models, and some specialists say that he even drew a portrait of himself as Jude the Apostle (making him the second from the right).
The visits to see “
The Last Supper" in Milan are strictly controlled: because of this, it’s absolutely necessary to buy tickets in advance. You can buy them by telephone or via the
official website. We recommend reserving at least one month in advance.
Where: Piazza Santa Maria delle Grazie, 2.
When: from Tuesday to Sunday from 8.15 am to 6.45 pm.
How much: the price of a standard ticket is € 6.50, and reduced tickets costs € 3.25. Tickets bought online cost € 1.50, and are picked up in the ticket office.
Leonardo da Vinci Trail in Milan
Paintor, sculptor, architect, poet and scientist, Leonardo da Vinci was a genius who has gone down in history as a symbol of the Renaissance man. If you’re interested in seeing the rest of
his works in Milan, as well as “The Last Supper”, have a look at the different
Da Vinci trails in the official Milan tourist board.
Laura - Marketing Team