De-Mythologizing The Da Vinci Code - The Last Supper
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De-Mythologizing The Da Vinci Code The Last Supper
Picture credits will be found at the end of the slideshow.
A .pdf version without narration is available at:
http://www3.canisius.edu/~moleski/classq/davinci.pdf
Martin X. Moleski, SJ
Canisius College
Buffalo, New York
April 23, 2009
His name is Leonardo. P Leonardo di ser Piero da Vinci P “Da Vinci” is not his name--it tells us that his father’s home town was Vinci (in the region of Florence, Italy).
A Grain of Truth:
The Judas Factor
P Jesus has been betrayed in every
generation by some of those who have
been chosen to represent him.
P This is a great evil, a great sorrow and a
great shame, but it should not come as a
surprise to practicing Catholics.
P Sin happens. There have been sinful
popes, bishops, priests, religious, married
couples, single Catholics, etc., since the
very beginning of Christianity.
P Both the novel and the painting are,
arguably, all about unfaithful disciples.
The Last Supper: 1495-1498
P In a dining room of the Domincan
monastery at Santa Maria delle
Grazie, Milan; 29' wide x14' high.
The Last Supper: 1495-1498
P In a dining room of the Domincan
monastery at Santa Maria delle
Grazie, Milan; 29' wide x14' high.
P Not a fresco; tempera on a base made
of pitch, gesso, and mastic.
The Last Supper: 1495-1498
P In a dining room of the Domincan
monastery at Santa Maria delle
Grazie, Milan; 29' wide x14' high.
P Not a fresco; tempera on a base made
of pitch, gesso, and mastic.
P Four years in the making.
The Last Supper: 1495-1498
P In a dining room of the Domincan
monastery at Santa Maria delle
Grazie, Milan; 29' wide x14' high.
P Not a fresco; tempera on a base made
of pitch, gesso, and mastic.
P Four years in the making.
P Damaged by humidity. 1517, started
to flake; badly deteriorated by 1556
(“ruined”), 58 years after completion.
The Last Supper: 1495-1498
P In a dining room of the Domincan
monastery at Santa Maria delle
Grazie, Milan; 29' wide x14' high.
P Not a fresco; tempera on a base made
of pitch, gesso, and mastic.
P Four years in the making.
P Damaged by humidity. 1517, started
to flake; badly deteriorated by 1556
(“ruined”), 58 years after completion.
P Door cut through wall in 1652.
The Last Supper: 1495-1498
P In a dining room of the Domincan
monastery at Santa Maria delle
Grazie, Milan; 29' wide x14' high.
P Not a fresco; tempera on a base made
of pitch, gesso, and mastic.
P Four years in the making
P Damaged by humidity. 1517, started
to flake; badly deteriorated by 1556
(“ruined”), 58 years after completion.
P Door cut through wall in 1652.
P Used as a stable (?) or prison (?) by
Napoleon’s troops in 1796.The Last Supper: 1495-1498
P In a dining room of the Domincan
monastery at Santa Maria delle
Grazie, Milan; 29' wide x14' high.
P Not a fresco; tempera on a base made
of pitch, gesso, and mastic.
P Four years in the making.
P Damaged by humidity. 1517, started
to flake; badly deteriorated by 1556
(“ruined”), 58 years after completion.
P Door cut through wall in 1652.
P Used as a stable (?) or prison (?) by
Napoleon’s troops in 1796.
P Covered with green mold after a flood
in 1800.The Last Supper: 1495-1498
P In a dining room of the Domincan
monastery at Santa Maria delle
Grazie, Milan; 29' wide x14' high.
P Not a fresco; tempera on a base made
of pitch, gesso, and mastic.
P Four years in the making.
P Damaged by humidity. 1517, started
to flake; badly deteriorated by 1556
(“ruined”), 58 years after completion.
P Door cut through wall in 1652.
P Used as a stable (?) or prison (?) by
Napoleon’s troops in 1796.
P Covered with green mold after a flood
in 1800.
P Badly damaged in 1821 when an
“expert” tried to take it off the wall (he
thought it was a fresco).The Last Supper: 1495-1498
P In a dining room of the Domincan
monastery at Santa Maria delle
Grazie, Milan; 29' wide x14' high.
P Not a fresco; tempera on a base made
of pitch, gesso, and mastic.
P Four years in the making.
P Damaged by humidity. 1517, started
to flake; badly deteriorated by 1556
(“ruined”), 58 years after completion.
P Door cut through wall in 1652.
P Used as a stable (?) or prison (?) by
Napoleon’s troops in 1796.
P Covered with green mold after a flood
in 1800.
P Badly damaged in 1821 when an
“expert” tried to take it off the wall (he
thought it was a fresco).
P Ceiling destroyed by a bomb in 1943.The Last Supper: 1495-1498
P In a dining room of the Domincan
monastery at Santa Maria delle
Grazie, Milan; 29' wide x14' high.
P Not a fresco; tempera on a base made
of pitch, gesso, and mastic.
P Four years in the making.
P Damaged by humidity. 1517, started
to flake; badly deteriorated by 1556
(“ruined”), 58 years after completion.
P Door cut through wall in 1652.
P Used as a stable (?) or prison (?) by
Napoleon’s troops in 1796.
P Covered with green mold after a flood
in 1800.
P Badly damaged in 1821 when an
“expert” tried to take it off the wall (he
thought it was a fresco).
P Ceiling destroyed by a bomb in 1943.
P Restored 1977-1999; watercolors used
to fill in missing sections.P European room, models, clothing, furniture, utensils, etc. P Daylight seen outside--not “evening” (?). P Local Italian scenery, not Jerusalem!.
The Names of the Apostles
Verified by names and sketches in a notebook of Leonardo found in the nineteenth century.
http://www.bringyou.to/apologetics/LeonardoLastSupper.htm#SchematicAn early copy--with names added
Ponte Capriasca - Chiesa di S. Ambrogio
Cesare da Sesto (1477 - 1523) was an Italian painter of the
Renaissance active in Milan and elsewhere in Italy.Bartholomew, James the lesser, Andrew
Judas, Peter, and John (the beloved disciple)
Thomas (the doubter), James the Greater, Philip
Matthew, Jude Thaddeus, and Simon
Not a Seder (Passover Meal) -- Leavened bread & fish. No passover Lamb. 1545 Copy -- Tongerlo, Belgium. Done in oil on cavas 47 years after the Last Supper was finished; undamaged; therefore, clearer than the original is now. Nearly full-size!
John vs. Synoptics P “Synoptic” = “lookalike gospels” = Matthew, Mark, Luke.
John vs. Synoptics P “Synoptic” = “lookalike gospels” = Matthew, Mark, Luke. P The synoptics say that the Last Supper was a Passover meal and that Jesus died the day after Passover.
John vs. Synoptics P “Synoptic” = “lookalike gospels” = Matthew, Mark, Luke. P The synoptics say that the Last Supper was a Passover meal and that Jesus died the day after Passover. P John says that the Last Supper was not a Passover meal. In John, Jesus dies on “Preparation Day” at the very hour that the lambs were being slaughtered--hence, Jesus is “The Lamb of God” and we, like the Jews in Egypt, are “saved by the blood of the Lamb.”
John vs. Synoptics P “Synoptic” = “lookalike gospels” = Matthew, Mark, Luke. P The synoptics say that the Last Supper was a Passover meal and that Jesus died the day after Passover. P John says that the Last Supper was not a Passover meal. In John, Jesus dies on “Preparation Day” at the very hour that the lambs were being slaughtered--hence, Jesus is “The Lamb of God” and we, like the Jews in Egypt, are “saved by the blood of the Lamb.” P Passover could fall on any day of the week (lunar calendar).
John vs. Synoptics P “Synoptic” = “lookalike gospels” = Matthew, Mark, Luke. P The synoptics say that the Last Supper was a Passover meal and that Jesus died the day after Passover. P John says that the Last Supper was not a Passover meal. In John, Jesus dies on “Preparation Day” at the very hour that the lambs were being slaughtered--hence, Jesus is “The Lamb of God” and we, like the Jews in Egypt, are “saved by the blood of the Lamb.” P Passover could fall on any day of the week (lunar calendar). P Synoptic view: Thursday = Passover, Friday = day after Passover.
John vs. Synoptics P “Synoptic” = “lookalike gospels” = Matthew, Mark, Luke. P The synoptics say that the Last Supper was a Passover meal and that Jesus died the day after Passover. P John says that the Last Supper was not a Passover meal. In John, Jesus dies on “Preparation Day” at the very hour that the lambs were being slaughtered--hence, Jesus is “The Lamb of God” and we, like the Jews in Egypt, are “saved by the blood of the Lamb.” P Passover could fall on any day of the week (lunar calendar). P Synoptic view: Thursday = Passover, Friday = day after Passover. P John’s view: Thursday = an ordinary meal, Friday = Preparation Day (the day before Passover), Saturday = Passover + Sabbath.
The Case of the Missing Grail P The synoptic gospels all say that the Eucharist was first celebrated during the Last Supper (Passover).
The Case of the Missing Grail P The synoptic gospels all say that the Eucharist was first celebrated during the Last Supper (Passover). P John’s account of the Last Supper makes no mention of the consecration of the bread and the wine. Instead, the meal begins with the Washing of the Feet. John’s theology of the Eucharist is in Chapter 6: “I am the Bread of Life. ...My body is real food and my blood is real drink.”
The Case of the Missing Grail P The synoptic gospels all say that the Eucharist was first celebrated during the Last Supper (Passover). P John’s account of the Last Supper makes no mention of the consecration of the bread and the wine. Instead, the meal begins with the Washing of the Feet. John’s theology of the Eucharist is in Chapter 6: “I am the Bread of Life. ...My body is real food and my blood is real drink.” P The word “grail” and the legends about the cup (or chalice) used by Jesus at the Last Supper date to the 14th century. The “quest for the Holy Grail” has become a staple of Western literature (King Arthur, Indiana Jones movie).
The Case of the Missing Grail P The synoptic gospels all say that the Eucharist was first celebrated during the Last Supper (Passover). P John’s account of the Last Supper makes no mention of the consecration of the bread and the wine. Instead, the meal begins with the Washing of the Feet. John’s theology of the Eucharist is in Chapter 6: “I am the Bread of Life. ...My body is real food and my blood is real drink.” P The word “grail” and the legends about the cup (or chalice) used by Jesus at the Last Supper date to the 14th century. The “quest for the Holy Grail” has become a staple of Western literature (King Arthur, Indiana Jones movie). P Leonardo has no “grail” at the table because he is following John’s version of the Last Supper, not the Synoptic version.
“One of You Will Betray Me”
Jn 13:21“Surely not I, Lord!?” Doubting Thomas, James (brother of Jesus), Philip
“The disciples looked at one another, uncertain of whom
He spoke” (Jn 13:21).
Bartholomew, James the Younger, Andrew
Matthew, Thaddeus (Jude), SimonOne of his disciples, whom Jesus loved, was lying close to the
breast of Jesus; so Simon Peter beckoned to him and said, “Tell us
who it is of whom he speaks” (Jn 13:23-24).
Later in the garden: “Then Simon Peter, having a
sword, drew it and struck the high priest’s slave
and cut off his right ear” (Jn 18:10).
The “sword” is clearly in Peter’s right hand. He
leans over behind Judas to ask the Beloved
Disciple to ask Jesus who will betray Him. There
are no “extra hands” in the painting. The twist in
Peter’s arm and wrist is hard to see in the
original (top left picture and bottom left).Peter holds the knife.
Ponte Capriasca - Chiesa di S. Ambrogio
“It is he to whom I shall give this morsel
when I have dipped it” (Jn 13:26)
With his right hand, Jesus reaches
toward the morsel. The dish with a
sauce is between his right hand and
Judas’ left hand.Surreal symbolism: encoded meanings.
P We can see the top of the table as well as the feet underneath--it must be terribly slanted.
P The table has only front legs.
P The table is absurdly narrow.
P All 12 apostles are on one side of the table--no room for all to sit (or recline, as the Jews would do).
P There are multiple sources of light--windows, faces, feet.
P The painting is full of symbols (far more than I can enumerate here):
< Jesus alone in the center--full of serenity, with the word “me” still on His lips.
< The “sword” in Peter’s hand points to Andrew--tradition says he was flayed to death.
< Judas is holding the sack with the pieces of silver in it.
< Judas’ face alone is in shadow.
< Judas has tipped over a bowl of salt.
< Thomas, the Doubter, raises his index finger to indicate his disbelief.Another “Last Supper” -- Ghirlandaio, ~1486 http://www.wga.hu/art/g/ghirland/domenico/4lastsup/3smarco.jpg
“The Disciple Whom Jesus Loved”
(Jn 13:23)
“The real problem stems from our lack of familiarity with ‘ types.’ In his Treatise on Painting,
Leonardo explains that each figure should be painted according to his station and age. A wise man
has certain characteristics, an old woman others, and children others still.
“A classic type, common to many Renaissance paintings, is the ‘student.’ A favored follower, a
protégé or disciple, is always portrayed as very youthful, long-haired and clean-shaven; the idea
being that he has not yet matured to the point where he must find his own way.
“Throughout the Renaissance, artists portray St. John in this fashion. He is the ‘disciple Jesus loved’
— the only one who will be at the foot of the cross [according to the Gospel of John; the synoptics
say that all the disciples abandoned Jesus]. He is the ideal student. To the Renaissance artist the
only way to show St. John was as a beardless youth, with none of the hard, determined
physiognomy of men. The ‘Last Supper’ of Ghirlandaio and Andrea del Castagno show a similarly
soft, young John.”
Dr. Elizabeth Lev, http://www.ewtn.com/library/ISSUES/zdavinci.htm
Gallery of Renaissance portraits of young men: http://home.arcor.de/berzelmayr/st-john.htmlLeonardo’s Effeminate Men P Leonardo was not “flamboyantly gay” as Brown asserts, although he was jailed once on charges of assaulting a boy model (Leonardo was acquitted), never married, had close male friends all his life, and made women look like men and men look like women. Many of his figures are androgynous.
Mona Lisa a Self-Portrait?
Is the Painting Really about
“Mary”?Is the Painting Really about
“Mary”?Is the Painting Really about
“Mary”?
No. It is about Jesus, Who sits alone at the center of the
composition.Leonardo’s Perspective: Centered on Jesus
Leonardo’s Perspective cont’d
The big question: Will you also betray me?
Credits This site allows you to zoom in on parts of the painting in very high resolution. You can see the difference between the surviving paint chips and the watercolors used by the restorers to “fill in the blanks.” http://milan.arounder.com/da_vinci_last_supper/IT000005356.html
In the slideshow, I brightened these
picures using Picasa.
http://milan.arounder.com/da_vinci_last_supper/IT000005356.htmlhttp://www.royalcollection.org.uk/egallery/images/collection_large/912546.jpg
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/86/Cesare_da_Sesto_-_Ultima_Cena_(copia).jpg
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/ba/Leonardo_self.jpg/382px-Leonardo_self.jpg
http://www.sacred-destinations.com/italy/images/milan/last-supper-refectory-wga.jpg
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/89/Last_supper_copy_by_unknown_artist.jpg
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/39/Leonardo_da_Vinci_025.jpg
http://www.nude-male-art.com/images/AngeloIncarnato.jpg
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/85/Mona_Lisa.jpeg http://www.vinci-editions.com/IMAGES/index/mona%20index.jpg
http://psyc.queensu.ca/~psyc382/schwartzMona-Leo.html
http://www.lillian.com/http://library.thinkquest.org/13681/media/monamorf.gif
http://muse.jhu.edu/journals/leonardo/v041/full/41.2.garcia-salgado_fig02f.jpg
http://facultystaff.vwc.edu/~trfanney/golden-mean-WOWslides/images/lastsupp_rect.jpg
http://www.canisius.edu/~moleski – “Hard questions.”
http://moleski.netYou can also read
