Leonardo’s 500-Year-Old Artwork That Remains Unsolved

[00:00:00]Perhaps there is not a single work by Leonardo da Vinci that is not surrounded by mysteries. His paintings, drawings, and manuscripts have been the subject of debate, research, and the boldest hypotheses for centuries. But even among all the master's masterpieces, there is one work that has spawned more secrets than any other. This is the Last Supper, Leonardo's famous mural. At first glance, before us is simply the biblical scene of Christ's last meal with his disciples. However, art researchers and puzzle enthusiasts are convinced.

[00:00:35]Leonardo hid a multitude of symbols and hints in the painting that have not yet received a definitive explanation. The Last Supper was created by Leonardo da Vinci between 1495 and 1498 on the wall of the refactory of the Santa Maria Delegratzia convent in Milan.

[00:00:53]Commissioned by the Duke of Milan, Ludovvikos Forza. The plot of the painting is based on one of the most dramatic episodes of the New Testament.

[00:01:02]Jesus and his apostles share their final meal before his death and resurrection.

[00:01:07]During the dinner, Jesus said that one of his disciples would betray him and hand him over to the authorities for execution. Most artists before him depicted the participants of the supper sitting calmly at the table. Leonardo did otherwise. He chose the moment of an emotional explosion. Upon hearing Christ's words, the apostles begin to discuss what they have heard, ask questions, and react each in their own way. Some are outraged, some are shocked, and some try to understand the meaning of what was said. The composition of the painting attracts special attention. The twel apostles are divided into four groups of three people. A distinct emotional scene develops in each group. Some argue among themselves, others try to turn to Christ, and still others express disbelief and anxiety. To the viewers left are Bartholomew, James the Lesser, and Andrew. Andrew raises his hands in a gesture of surprise, as if he cannot believe what he has heard. The next group includes Judas a Scariot, Peter, and John. It is this part of the composition that contains some of the most mysterious details of the painting.

[00:02:15]In the center is Christ. His figure forms a stable triangle, a symbol of harmony and divine perfection. All the lines of perspective converge on his head, turning Jesus into the main semantic center of the work. This focuses our attention on the calm and luminous image of the savior. To his right are Thomas, James the Greater, and Philip. They are followed by Matthew, Jude Thaddius, and Simon the Zealot.

[00:02:41]Each group seems to react to Christ's words differently, creating a true psychological performance. The phrase that became the starting point for the entire scene is particularly important.

[00:02:52]According to the gospel, Christ says that the betrayer will be the one who dips his hand into the bowl at the same time as him. At this moment, the disciples begin to look for the guilty one among those present. It is the tension of the search for the betrayer that Leonardo made the main subject of the painting. The contrast between Christ and the disciples surrounding him is especially expressive. While the apostles are gripped by agitation and try to comprehend what they have heard, Jesus maintains complete composure. His head is slightly bowed, his gaze is lowered, and his posture remains motionless and balanced. If one looks closely at the composition, it becomes noticeable that Judas's Scariot is reaching his hand toward the bowl along with Christ. This gesture becomes one of the key hints at the identity of the future betrayer. However, Leonardo does not depict the moment of exposure directly. The betrayer has not yet been definitively exposed and outwardly remains part of the community of apostles. The viewer is invited to discover the hidden sign themselves among the many details of the painting.

[00:03:58]Leonardo left several other hints about his role. In Judas's hand is a small pouch. Most researchers believe this is a reference to the 30 pieces of silver, the reward received for betraying Christ. The pouch looks like an insignificant detail, but it is precisely what helps the viewer identify the betrayer. Another mysterious detail is located next to Judas. On the table in front of him, a salt cellar is overturned and the salt is spilled across the tablecloth. In European tradition, spilled salt has long been considered a bad omen and a symbol of misfortune. Some historians believe that Leonardo deliberately used this sign to emphasize the impending betrayal. Before Leonardo, it was customary to depict Judas a Scariot separately from the others. Usually, he was seated on the other side of the table with his back to the viewer. Da Vinci broke this tradition. He placed Judas in the same row as Jesus and the other disciples, showing that evil can hide among one's own, being part of the familiar circle.

[00:05:01]Behind Judas's back, we see the hand of the Apostle Peter gripping a dagger.

[00:05:06]This is a foreshadowing of the upcoming events in the Garden of Gethsemane when during the arrest of Jesus, the hot-tempered Peter will cut off the ear of Malchus, the high priest's servant.

[00:05:17]Interestingly, the dagger is turned with its blade away from Christ, showing that Peter is ready to protect the teacher.

[00:05:25]But the most famous mystery is connected with the figure sitting right next to Jesus, closest of all. For centuries, it was believed to be the Apostle John.

[00:05:34]However, at the end of the 20th century, a sensational theory emerged. Some researchers claimed that the person before us is not a man at all, but Mary Magdalene. The reason for such assumptions was the unusual appearance of the character. The figure has soft facial features, long hair, and looks significantly more feminine than the other disciples. Proponents of the theory argue that the space between Christ and this character forms the letter V, an ancient symbol of the feminine principle. However, the majority of professional art historians do not agree with this interpretation.

[00:06:11]They recall that in Renaissance painting, the Apostle John was traditionally depicted as young, beardless, and with soft facial features. Therefore, the unusual appearance of the character is not proof of Magdalene's presence. Besides, if this is Mary Magdalene, a logical question arises, where did Leonardo hide the Apostle John since there are exactly 12 people at the table? Another mystery is the fish placed on the table. Due to the damage to the mural and numerous restorations, researchers have still not reached a consensus on what exactly Leonardo depicted, an eel or a herring.

[00:06:49]At first glance, this dispute seems insignificant, but supporters of the hidden symbols theory believe that the choice of fish could have a profound meaning. According to one version, the eel depicted on the table symbolizes faith, spiritual guidance, and following the teachings of Christ. Some researchers associate this fish with the idea of religious devotion and fidelity to Christian ideals. So its presence in the painting could have a positive symbolic meaning. If however the artist depicted a herring, the meaning changes to the opposite. In a number of northern Italian dialects, the name of this fish was associated with people who reject religion or hold false beliefs. In that case, the fish could serve as a hint at doubt, disbelief, or even betrayal, which fits the plot well. Of course, there is no convincing evidence in favor of either of these versions. Therefore, the dispute about the fish continues to this day. Thomas's gesture raises no fewer questions. The Apostle Thomas stands to the right of Christ with his index finger pointing upwards. This gesture is also found in other works by Da Vinci. Traditionally, this is interpreted as a reminder of the future, but some researchers see it as a Masonic sign or an indication of hidden esoteric knowledge.

[00:08:10]The fate of the Last Supper turned out to be no less dramatic than the story it depicts. Today, it is hard to believe, but the famous mural began to deteriorate almost immediately after the work was completed. The reason lay with Leonardo himself. Striving to achieve subtler color transitions, depth of light, and meticulous detailing, the artist abandoned the traditional fresco technique in which paints are applied to still wet plaster. Instead, he experimented with oil and tempera paints, working on the dry surface of the wall. This method allowed the master to achieve an impressive pictorial effect, but it proved to be extremely short-lived. Within just a few years after the mural was finished, the paint began to flake off. Contemporaries noted that the image gradually lost clarity and individual fragments crumbled right off the wall. By the mid-6th century, just a few decades after Leonardo's death, the work was in a much worse condition than most fresco created centuries earlier. Subsequent centuries only exacerbated the situation.

[00:09:12]moisture, the dampness of the convent refactory, numerous alterations to the building, the Napoleonic Wars, and even World War II bombings caused serious damage to the work. Restoers from different eras tried to save the masterpiece, but many interventions proved unsuccessful. Damaged areas were repainted a new, adding personal details. So, over time, it became increasingly difficult to understand where Leonardo's work ends and the work of his later saviors begins. The most massive restoration began in 1978 and lasted for more than 20 years.

[00:09:47]Specialists meticulously removed later overpainting and layers of old restorations, striving to preserve every surviving brushstroke of the master. The work was completed in 1999. The restorers managed to stop further destruction and bring the artwork as close to its historical appearance as possible. However, the results of the research turned out to be both impressive and sad. It was discovered that less than half of Leonardo's original painting has survived to the present day. Everything else was lost to time or replaced by later restorative works. Fortunately, the idea of the mural's original appearance was not completely lost. As early as the beginning of the 16th century, Leonardo's students and followers created several very accurate copies of the painting. The most valuable among them is considered to be the work of the northern Italian artist Gianatrino.

[00:10:39]Executed approximately between 1515 and 1520. This copy was painted when the original still retained most of its details and therefore it serves as a crucial source for studying the lost fragments. Thanks to John Petrino's copy, researchers can see elements that have almost disappeared on the original wall today. richer colors of the garments, subtle facial expressions, details of the table wear and draperies, as well as the depiction of Christ's feet, which were later lost after a doorway was cut into the lower part of the composition. Such early copies allow art historians to reconstruct Leonardo's vision much more accurately than is possible from the surviving mural. The Last Supper continues to attract the attention of millions of people. It is not just a religious scene and not just an outstanding work of art. It is a puzzle painting in which every detail becomes a reason for new research and debate. More than 500 years later, Leonardo still forces us to ask questions and many mysteries of his greatest masterpiece are still waiting for their definitive explanation. And which mystery seems the most enigmatic to you? What do you think Leonardo really wanted to hide in his famous mural? Write your opinion in the comments. Thank you for watching. See you in the next video.