Last Supper of Mary. A bad start: who ordered Leonardo's "Last Supper". There are three Last Suppers in the world

Last Supper Leonardo da Vinci’s painting is so large-scale and mysterious that for centuries advice and tips have been passed on about what angle to look at it from so as not to miss a single detail. It is believed that you need to move nine meters away from the canvas and rise 3.5 meters up. Such distances seem too large until you remember the enormous dimensions of the painting - 460 by 880 cm.

The name Leonardo is shrouded in many secrets. Over the centuries, people have been trying to unravel the hidden intentions of his creations. the best minds humanity, but it is unlikely that it will ever be possible to fully comprehend the full depth of his genius. However, there are facts that art critics have no doubt about. So, they are sure that the painting was created in 1495-1498 by order of Leonardo’s patron, Duke Ludovico Sforza, who was advised to do this by his meek wife Beatrice d’Este. The fresco is in the monastery of Santa Maria delle Grazie in Milan. This is where the unconditional truths end, and space for debate, opinions and reflection begins.

There is ambiguity even in the definition of the painting technique that da Vinci used when creating The Last Supper. Out of habit, I would like to call it a fresco, but this is not so. Fresco is painting on wet plaster, and the artist painted the picture on a dry wall in order to be able to make changes and additions to it in the future.

The work is located on the back wall of the monastery refectory. This arrangement is not strange or accidental: the theme of the picture is the last Easter dinner of Jesus Christ with his disciples and apostles. All depicted figures are located on one side of the table so that the viewer can see the face of each of them. The apostles are grouped in groups of three, and this symbol of three is found in other elements of the picture: in the triangles that themselves form from lines, in the number of windows behind Jesus. Leonardo da Vinci's work differs from a number of paintings on this topic also by the fact that there is no halo over any of the characters he depicts, the viewer is invited to look at the events from an exclusively human point vision.

The emotions of each of the apostles are unique and are not repeated by other participants in the action. The viewer has the opportunity to see that they all react in their own way to the words of Jesus Christ, who said:

“...Truly I say to you, one of you will betray Me.”

Leonardo da Vinci worked most carefully on the images of Christ and Judas. Exists interesting legend that they were written by the same person. They say that Leonardo saw the prototype of Jesus in young singer from church choir. Three years passed, and the artist met a completely degenerate man, from whom he painted Judas. The model’s confession turned out to be shocking: he was the same young singer, but in a few years he managed to move away from goodness and purity to debauchery and darkness.

The idea that good and evil coexist in our world can be seen in color scheme paintings: the artist used techniques that are based on contrasts.

Many questions regarding the Last Supper remain unanswered, but one thing is certain - this creation is important milestone in the development of painting of the 15th-16th centuries. Thus, it was possible to bring the depth of perspective to a new level and create a sense of volume, which even stereo cinema of our day can envy.

Last Supper.

Location and history of creation:

The famous fresco is in the churchSanta Maria delle Grazie, located on the square of the same name in Milan. Or rather, on one of the walls of the refectory. According to historians, the artist specifically depicted in the picture exactly the same table and dishes that were in the church at that time. By this he tried to show that Jesus and Judas (good and evil) are much closer to people than they seem.

The painter received an order to paint the work from his patron, the Duke of Milan.Ludovico Sforzain 1495. The ruler was famous for his dissolute life and youth was surrounded by young bacchantes. The situation did not change at all because the Duke had a beautiful and modest wife.Beatrice d'Este, who sincerely loved her husband and, due to her meek disposition, could not contradict his way of life. We must admit thatLudovico Sforzahe sincerely revered his wife and was attached to her in his own way. But the dissolute duke felt the true power of love only at the moment of the sudden death of his wife. The man's grief was so great that he did not leave his room for 15 days. And when I came out, the first thing I did was orderLeonardo da Vincifresco, which his late wife had once asked for, and forever stopped all entertainment at court.

The work was completed in 1498. Its dimensions were 880 by 460 cm. Many connoisseurs of the artist’s work agreed that it was best"Last Supper"You can see it if you move 9 meters to the side and rise 3.5 meters up. Moreover, there is something to see. Already during the author's lifetime, the fresco was considered his best work. Although, calling the painting a fresco would be incorrect. The fact is thatLeonardo da VinciI wrote the work not on wet plaster, but on dry plaster, in order to be able to edit it several times. To do this, the artist applied a thick layer of egg tempra to the wall, which subsequently did a disservice, beginning to collapse just 20 years after the painting was painted. But more on that later.

Idea of ​​the piece:

"The Last Supper"depicts the last Easter dinner of Jesus Christ with his disciples and apostles, which took place in Jerusalem on the eve of his arrest by the Romans. According to scripture, Jesus said during a meal that one of the apostles would betray him.Leonardo da VinciI tried to depict the reaction of each of the students to the prophetic phrase of the Teacher. To do this, he walked around the city, talked to ordinary people, made them laugh, upset them, and encouraged them. And at the same time he observed the emotions on their faces. The author's goal was to depict the famous dinner from a purely human point of view. That is why he depicted everyone present in a row and did not draw a halo above anyone’s head (as other artists liked to do).

Now we have reached the most interesting part of the article: the secrets and features hidden in the work of the great author.

1. According to historians, the most difficult thing isLeonardo da Vincigiven the writing of 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. One day, an Italian saw a young singer in a church choir - so spiritual and pure that there was no doubt left: here he was - the prototype of Jesus for him."Last Supper". But, despite the fact that the image of the Teacher was painted,Leonardo da VinciI corrected it for a long time, considering it insufficiently perfect.

The last unwritten character in the picture was Judas. The artist spent hours wandering through the worst places, looking for a model to paint among the degraded people. And now, almost 3 years later, he got lucky. An absolutely degenerate guy was lying in a ditch, in a state of severe alcoholic intoxication. The artist ordered him to be brought to the studio. The man could hardly stand on his feet and had no idea 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 author’s bewilderment, 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 copied from the same person in different periods his life. This once again emphasizes the fact that good and evil go so close that sometimes the line between them is imperceptible.

By the way, while workingLeonardo da Vincidistracted by the abbot of the monastery, who constantly hurried the artist and argued that he should paint a picture for days, and not stand in front of it in thought. One day 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.

2. The most discussed secret of the fresco is the figure of a student, located on right hand from Christ. It is believed that this is none other than Mary Magdalene and her location indicates the fact that she was not Jesus' mistress, as is commonly believed, but his legal wife. This fact is confirmed by the letter “M”, which is formed by the contours of the couple’s bodies. Supposedly it means the word "Matrimonio", which translated means "marriage". Some historians argue with this statement and insist that the signature is visible in the paintingLeonardo da Vinci- letter "V". The first statement is supported by the mention that Mary Magdalene washed Christ’s feet and dried them with her hair. According to traditions, 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 marked the beginning of the Merovingian dynasty.

3. Some scholars argue that the unusual arrangement of the students in the picture is not accidental. They sayLeonardo da Vinciplaced people by... zodiac signs. According to this legend, Jesus was a Capricorn and his beloved Mary Magdalene was a virgin.

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 the wall on which the fresco was depicted. Although, the people themselves not only did not take care of the work, but also treated it in a truly barbaric manner. 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 hole in the wall with the image"Last Supper"a door that “cut off” the characters’ legs. A little later, the Milanese coat of arms was hung over the Savior’s head. And at the end of the 17th century, the refectory was turned into a stable. The already dilapidated fresco was covered with manure, and the French competed with each other: who would hit the head of one of the apostles with a brick. However, there were"Last Supper"and fans. The French king Francis I was so impressed by the work that he seriously thought about how to transport it to his home.

5. No less interesting are the thoughts of historians about the food depicted on the table. For example, near JudasLeonardo da Vincidepicted an overturned salt shaker (which at all times was considered a bad omen), as well as an empty plate. But the biggest point of controversy is still the fish in the picture. Contemporaries still cannot agree on what is painted on the fresco - a herring or an eel. Scientists believe that this ambiguity is not accidental. The artist specially encrypted in the painting hidden meaning. The fact is that in Italian “eel” is pronounced “aringa”. We add one more letter, and we get a completely different word - “arringa” (instruction). At the same time, the word "herring" is pronounced in northern Italy as "renga", which means "one who denies religion." For the atheist artist, the second interpretation is closer.

As you can see, in one single picture there are hidden many secrets and understatements, which more than one generation has been struggling to uncover. Many of them will remain unsolved. And contemporaries will only have to speculate andrepeat a masterpiece the great Italian in paints, marble, sand, trying to extend the life of the fresco.

Leonardo's most famous work is the famous “Last Supper” in the Milan monastery of Santa Maria della Grazie. This painting, which in its present form represents a ruin, was completed between 1495 and 1497. The reason for the rapid deterioration, which made itself felt already in 1517, was a unique technique that combined oil with tempera.

One of the most famous works Leonardo da Vinci located in the monastery of Santa Maria della Grazie in Milan - this "The Last Supper". The fresco, which today is a pitiful sight, was painted at the end of the 15th century. The image deteriorated very quickly, after twenty years the masterpiece was already in need of restoration - the reason for this was a special technique that combined tempera with oil.

The painting of the fresco was preceded by long and careful preparation. Leonardo completed a huge number of sketches, which helped him choose the most suitable gestures and poses of the figures. The artist considered in the plot of “The Last Supper” not only a deep dogmatic content, but also a huge human tragedy, which allows you to reveal the characters of the characters in the painting and demonstrate their emotional experiences. For da Vinci, “The Last Supper” became primarily a scene of betrayal, so one of the tasks was to introduce into this traditional biblical story a dramatic note that would give the fresco a completely new emotional coloring.

Reflecting on the concept of “The Last Supper,” the artist made notes describing the behavior and actions of certain participants in the scene: “The one who drank puts the cup on the table and fixes his gaze on the speaker, the other, having joined his fingers, frowns and looks at his comrade , the third shows his palms and raises his shoulders in surprise...” These records do not mention the names of the apostles, but da Vinci clearly identified the posture, facial expressions and gestures of each of them. The figures had to be arranged in such a way that the entire composition represented a single whole, conveying all the poignancy of the plot, full of passions and emotions. According to Leonardo, the apostles are not saints, but simple people who experience current events in their own way.

“The Last Supper” is considered the most mature and complete creation of da Vinci. The painting attracts with the amazing convincingness of the compositional solution; the master manages to avoid any elements that could distract the viewer from the main action. The central part of the composition is occupied by the figure of Christ, depicted against the background of the door opening. The apostles are moved away from Christ - this was done on purpose to concentrate more attention on him. For the same purpose, Leonardo placed the head of Jesus at the point of convergence of all lines of perspective. The students are divided into four groups, each of which looks dynamic and lively. The table is small in size, and the refectory is designed in a simple, strict style. Thanks to this, the emphasis is on characters whose plastic power is truly great. All these techniques demonstrate the deep creative intent and artistic determination of the author.

While painting, Leonardo set himself the most important goal - to realistically convey the mental reactions of the apostles to the words of Jesus: "One of you will betray me". The image of each student is an almost complete, formed human temperament and character, which has its own uniqueness, and therefore their reaction to Christ’s prediction is different.

Da Vinci's contemporaries saw the genius of The Last Supper precisely in the subtle emotional differentiation, the embodiment of which was facilitated by the variety of poses, gestures and facial expressions of the characters. This feature of the fresco makes it stand out from the background of more early works depicting a biblical story. Other masters, such as T. Gaddi, D. Ghirlandaio, C. Roselli and A. Del Castanto, depicted students sitting at a table in calm, static poses as if they had nothing to do with what was happening. These artists were unable to characterize Judas in sufficient detail from the psychological side and placed him isolated from the rest of the apostles on the other side of the table. Thus, the villainous opposition of Judas to the congregation was created artificially.

Da Vinci managed to break this tradition. Using Rich artistic language made it possible to do without exclusively external effects. Leonardo's Judas is grouped with the other disciples, but his features in a certain way distinguish him from the apostles, so that an attentive viewer quickly recognizes the traitor.

All characters in the action are endowed with individuality. Before our eyes, in the assembly, which just a moment ago was in in complete calm, the greatest excitement is growing, caused by the words of Jesus, like thunder piercing the dead silence. Most impulsive reaction to speech Christ three students sitting on his left side. They form whole group, united by common gestures and willpower.

Philip jumps up from his seat, sending Jesus his perplexed question, Jacob, without hiding his indignation, spreads his arms, leaning back slightly, Thomas raises his hand up, as if trying to understand and evaluate what is happening. In the group sitting on the right hand of the Teacher, a slightly different mood reigns. It is separated from the figure of Christ by a considerable distance, and the emotional restraint of its participants is obvious. Judas, clutching a purse of silver in his hands, is depicted in a turn, his image is imbued with trembling fear of Jesus. The figure of Judas is deliberately painted in more dark colors, it contrasts sharply with the light and in a bright way Joanna, who limply lowered his head and humbly folded his hands. Wedged between John and Judas Peter, who leans his hand on John’s shoulder and says something to him, leaning close to his ear, with his other hand Peter decisively grabs the sword, wanting to protect the Teacher at all costs. The disciples sitting near Peter look at Christ in surprise, as if they are asking a silent question, they want to know the name of the traitor. The last three figures were placed on the opposite side of the table. Matthew, with his arms outstretched towards Jesus, indignantly turns to Thaddeus, seeking an explanation from him for such unexpected news. But the elderly apostle is also in the dark, showing this with a bewildered gesture.

The figures seated at either end of the table are shown in full profile. This was not done by chance: Leonardo thus closed the movement sent from the center of the painting; the artist used a similar technique earlier in the painting “The Adoration of the Magi”, where this role was played by the figures of a young man and an old man located at the edges of the canvas. However, in this work we do not see such deep psychological techniques, traditional means of expression are mainly used here. In The Last Supper, on the contrary, a complex emotional subtext is clearly expressed, analogues to which in Italian painting The 15th century does not exist. Da Vinci's contemporaries immediately recognized the genuine genius of the transfer of a by no means new plot and took The Last Supper at its true worth, dubbing it a new word in fine art.

Jesus Christ, together with his disciples, was captured by Leonardo during their last meeting at dinner the evening before his execution. Therefore, it is not surprising that the fresco was made in the monastery dining room. The master, as befits a true genius, worked chaotically. At some times, he could not leave his creation for days, and then give up work for a while. The Last Supper was da Vinci's only major completed work. The painting was applied in an unconventional way, were used oil paints, rather than tempera - this allowed the work to be done much more slowly and made it possible to make some changes and additions along the way. The fresco is painted in a unique style; the viewer may get the impression that the image is behind foggy glass.

Last Supper. Fresco by Leonardo da Vinci. 1495 1497 Last Supper. Fresco by Leonardo da Vinci. 1495 1497 The Last Supper () in the New Testament is the last joint meal () of Jesus Christ and the twelve apostles on the eve of the day () death on the cross... ... encyclopedic Dictionary"The World History"

The Last Supper (Greek μυστιχός δετπνος, Lat. ultima cena), in Christian beliefs, the last joint meal (dinner) of Jesus Christ and the twelve apostles on the eve of “Good Friday,” the day of Christ’s death on the cross. T.v. takes place in... Encyclopedia of Mythology

Last Supper- Last Supper. Girlandaio. Museum of St. Mark. Florence. THE LAST SUPPER (last supper), according to Christian beliefs, is the last joint meal (dinner) of Jesus Christ and the twelve apostles on the eve of the day (Good Friday) of death on the cross... Illustrated Encyclopedic Dictionary

The Last Supper, in Christian beliefs, the last joint meal (dinner) of Jesus Christ and the twelve apostles on the eve of the day (Good Friday) of Christ’s death on the cross. During the Last Supper, Christ predicts that Judas will betray him... ... Big Encyclopedic Dictionary

- (last supper) in the New Testament, the last joint meal (dinner) of Jesus Christ and the twelve apostles on the eve of the day (Good Friday) of Christ’s death on the cross. During the Last Supper, Christ predicts that one of the disciples will betray Him.... ... Historical Dictionary

Cm … Synonym dictionary

- (Last Supper), the last joint meal (dinner) of Jesus Christ and the twelve apostles. During the Last Supper, Christ predicts that he will be betrayed by Judas Iscariot, and institutes the sacrament of the Eucharist (comunion), allowing the disciples to taste bread and... ... encyclopedic Dictionary

Last Supper- only units , stable combination According to Christian doctrine, the farewell meal that Jesus Christ held with his disciples in Jerusalem before his arrest and at which he announced to the Twelve Apostles that one of them would betray him. Events… … Popular dictionary of the Russian language

THE LAST SUPPER - traditional name the last meal of Christ the Savior with his disciples. Its name is due to the fact that, due to the threat from the *Sanhedrin, the supper had to take place in secret. Its focus was the sacred act of establishing the *New Testament,... ... Bibliological dictionary

The fourteenth moon of the first spring month, Aviv (i.e., ears of grain), came when, according to the law, the Passover lamb had to be slaughtered. Jesus Christ said to Peter and John: Come, prepare for us to eat the Passover. They asked Him: Where do you tell us... ... Bible. Dilapidated and New Testaments. Synodal translation. Biblical encyclopedia arch. Nikifor.

Books

• Last Supper. The Last Supper... not a single festive meal in world history had such truly universal significance. On the evening before the Passover, Jesus last time gathered His disciples...
• The Last Supper, Javier Sierra. The Vatican Secret Service receives a dozen anonymous letters warning that a conspiracy has been hatched in Milan that could crush the Church. The monastery of Santa is called the center of heresy...

If fate has thrown you into Northern capital Italy, then the fresco of the Last Supper by Leonardo da Vinci is definitely worth seeing. It’s not for nothing that BlogoItaliano put her on the second line of the TOP list. Getting tickets to attend the Memorial is another matter. almost impossible if you don't know where and when to look. But before we talk about the tickets, let's pay a little attention to the Masterpiece itself.

Of all the works of Leonardo da Vinci that have survived to this day, the fresco Last Supper in Milan one of the most remarkable. And this is recognized even by those who are ready to tirelessly prove that its plot absolutely does not correspond to the events described in the New Testament. The point, however, is not in the plot or in the views of the artist, which he supposedly wanted to reflect in the drawing, painting the wall of the refectory of the monastery Santa Maria delle Grazie…

Leonardo da Vinci: the genius of incompleteness

How much do you know contemporary artists who would have the honor of working for the most senior people at the age of 30? The high mortality rate in the Middle Ages is not an excuse, since it was mostly infants who died (if there were no epidemics), and at the age of 50-60, men did not look very old at all. Especially if they belonged to one of the 2 upper classes or chose the path of trade or craft.

Art in those years was also a craft - no better or worse than others, and there was no shortage of craftsmen. Young, old, talented and not so talented. Especially in Italy, where in every more or less big city had its own school of fine arts.

Leonardo da Vinci's self-propelled wooden carriage

By the age of 30, Leonardo became famous not as an artist, but as a mathematician and engineer. The era was restless: the Italian dukes went on short campaigns not with friendly visits. As a result, the demand for high-quality fortifications and armor-piercing equipment was decent, and in 1482 Leonardo was invited to Milan.

However, all the city fortifications, as well as equestrian statue father of the Duke of Milan Lodovico Sforza, were never erected. Almost all the paintings commissioned by Leonardo from the Duke and his entourage also remained unfinished. Why?

The Last Supper of Leonardo da Vinci: from concept to creation

Leonardo was interested new riddle. He decided to thoroughly explore the laws of aerial perspective, according to which the further away an object is, the more indistinguishable its true color becomes. As before, nature itself posed this riddle to Leonardo. The artist creates a series of sketches and several paintings in which he first appears sfumato– slight haze, blurred contours, soft shadow, which soon became characteristic feature his paintings.

Leonardo was also concerned about the organization of space on the canvas - linear perspective, and the problem of the “golden ratio”. It was then (in 1490) that the famous drawing “Vitruvian Man” appeared, representing precise calculations of body proportions.

Vitruvian Man by Leonardo da Vinci

But the opportunity to move from theory to practice in three directions immediately presented itself only in 1494. It is this date that most researchers call as the starting date: The Last Supper of Leonardo da Vinci, which until then existed only in the artist’s imagination, began to take shape on the monastery wall. The size of the fresco is 460×880 cm.

Work continued until 1498. Trying to make the figures more voluminous, and therefore more natural, Leonardo, captivated by the idea of ​​conveying the principles of aerial perspective on a static surface, painted the refectory not with tempera on wet plaster, as was customary, but with oil paints on ordinary, dry plaster.

But this is nothing more than an experiment, albeit a generously paid one. The plot is secondary for the artist. The main thing is to recreate a harmonious space using accurate calculations. “Verify harmony with algebra,” as another genius would write several hundred years later.

Milan monastery of Santa Maria delle Grazie

According to legend, the prior of the monastery Santa Maria delle Grazie constantly urged by Leonardo, who, in revenge, gave the features of Judas Iscariot a resemblance to the abbot. It is possible that this is just a legend: the Dominicans (and the monastery was precisely Dominican) were famous for their artists and knew the value of this work - both materially and temporally.

The Last Supper of Leonardo da Vinci: victory and defeat of a genius

Leonardo's experiment was only partially successful: he soon had to correct the oil paints with the same tempera. However, the palette of shades, which makes the figures of the Savior and his disciples as natural as possible at a short distance, thanks to the genius of the master, remained unchanged.

But most of all, the artist’s contemporaries were struck by the illusion of a huge space behind those sitting at the table, which involuntarily transferred to the real space, absorbing its features and making observers feel literally inside the fresco.

The Last Supper of Leonardo da Vinci

The power of influence of this work on the viewer is such that even serious researchers, when studying it, still do not take into account what lies literally on the surface and delve into the symbolism and plot. Although the stunning effect of the Last Supper is just the result of enormous work of the mind and cold calculation, a peculiar equation based, nevertheless, on strict natural laws that Leonardo followed all his life. Only? Everyone must find the answer to this question for themselves.

How to see the Last Supper fresco

Not a single reproduction, even the highest quality, can convey the full power of the genius of Leonardo, who solved and solved one of the most difficult riddles nature through the creation of a mural Last Supper in Milan. The fresco still adorns one of the walls of the refectory in Santa Maria delle Grazie at: Piazza Santa Maria delle Grazie 2 | Corso Magenta, 20123 Milan, Italy (Centro Storico).

The church is open to visitors daily from 7:30 to 19:00 (break from 12:00 to 15:00). On holidays and holidays Santa Maria delle Grazie welcomes guests from 11:30 to 18:30.

Access to the room with the fresco is strictly limited. And first you will have to buy tickets to view the Last Supper, allowing you to stay in the refectory for 15 minutes.

By the way, everything is not at all easy with them: being one of the main attractions of Milan, the Last Supper is incredibly popular among guests of the city. Tickets for it are sold out 2 months in advance, so the chances of watching the Supper “at a glance” are very slim. Tickets are not sold by hand either, which is strictly monitored by the security service.

Thus, for those who are just preparing for a trip to Italy and want to see the Last Supper with their own eyes, there is only one acceptable option - online booking.

Where to buy tickets for the Last Supper

The Last Supper has always been in great demand in Milan, but when we first wrote this article [in 2013], tickets were still a little easier. Now [in 2018], reviewing available methods to get tickets, I must admit that everything has become even more complicated.

Limiting the number of tickets on sale has led to many operators outrageously inflating prices. It often comes to the point that travelers are willing to pay up to $100 per ticket just to see the mural. However, there are still several ways to get to see the Last Supper for reasonable money.

Method 1: Weekend in Italy

A website where you can search for tickets without overpaying for an excursion is Weekend in Italy. Tickets can be found here quite often, because the site is the main supplier for many foreign agencies, but it has its own characteristics.

Tickets for the Last Supper are only available here with a further purchase. For example, you can combine your visit to the Supper with a ticket to the Brera Gallery, Leonardo's Codex Atlanticus in the Ambrosian Library, or a Milano Card for 24 hours. If you select only the Last Supper, then the system simply will not allow you to purchase a ticket.

Since these landmarks are some of the most iconic in Milan, it is great way make an interesting plan for the whole day at once.

By the way, the Last Supper is far from the only attraction in Italy for which tickets should be booked in advance. We have already discussed such places in more detail and recommend this article to everyone who wants to “get the most” from their vacation in Italy.

Method 2: Excursion with a visit to the Last Supper

Another way to watch “The Last Supper” is to do it as part of an English-language tour. Many foreigners do this, and not only Russian speakers. Because it is often much easier and cheaper to go on an excursion [even if English language], rather than buying tickets from resellers at unreasonably inflated prices.

Look detailed description excursions and place an order for participation on this page.

What to do if there are no tickets for the required date (2017 addition)

When did BlogoItaliano find out about this critical situation with tickets, we contacted a familiar guide Oksana in Milan (review of her) and asked if something could be done so that BlogoItaliano readers could still get to see Frexie even with such a rush for tickets.

AND Oksana reassured…

It turns out that she periodically helps travelers, booking a tour with her“In the footsteps of Leonardo da Vinci”, go to see the fresco. Moreover, it is often possible to get tickets even at the box office price. According to Oksana, she does not give a 100% guarantee of visiting the fresco, but for long years In practice, she had only one case when tourists were unable to get inside.

If you were paying attention, you probably noticed that we're talking about only about tickets in addition to the excursion. But it's three hours excursion in Russian with one of the most sought after guides in Milan.

By the way, in addition to the Last Supper of Leonardo da Vinci, the excursion also includes a visit to another masterpiece of the master in the Sforzesco Castle and his painting “Portrait of a Musician” in the Ambrosiana Gallery. Well, for the most persistent admirers of genius, Oksana includes in the excursion the Museum dedicated to Leonardo’s inventions.

You can contact Oksana to clarify the details of the excursion with her by e-mail or via form feedback below.