2. The Last Supper
Leonardo da Vinci’s great work was not limited to the Mona Lisa. He also painted one of the world’s other most recognizable paintings: The Last Supper. Il Cenacolo or L’Ultima Cena in Michelangelo’s native Italian, the picture was begun in 1495 or 1496. The Last Supper is a large mural painting, measuring roughly 180 inches by 350 inches, or 15 by 25 feet. The art was done with tempera and gesso, both of which have sadly decayed over time to the point that little of the original painting remains.
One element of damage to the piece actually dates back all the way to 1625. The original painting included the depiction of Jesus Christ’s feet. Copies of the painting made before 1625, like Giovanni Pietro Rizzoli’s 1520 copy, show the authentic representation of the feet. However, in 1625 workers installing a doorway in the refectory where the mural hangs accidentally cut into the painting and removed Jesus’ feet.
A significant additional source of damage is humidity from the painting’s original location on a thin exterior wall. The painting’s organic pigments began to deteriorate almost immediately after hanging due to exposure. In 1796, French troops used the painting’s home as an armory and reportedly threw rocks at the photo and intentionally scratched portions away.
