Instead of the usual water-based fresco, for "The Last Supper", Leonardo wanted to try a tempera mixture, which he hoped would give him the richness and detail of an oil painting on canvas. Huge mistake. This amazing masterpiece began to decay immediately; the paint discolored, cracked, and chipped off the wall. Everyone tried to fix it over the centuries, but it got so bad that the monks who lived in the building thought nothing of cutting a doorway through the bottom of it, and being bombed in WWII didn't help. Now it's been restored with the best modern techniques; what we see is still one of the most beautiful and universally recognized paintings in history. In the calm, triangular form of Jesus, the use of architecture to give him a window for a halo, the apostles grouped in threes, interacting in a way never seen before upon hearing Jesus tell them "One of you will betray me" -- Leonardo depicts men's souls by way of their expressions and gestures.

Madonna of the Rocks 1527 Baby Jesus meets baby John the Baptist in a rocky grotto. His mom looks on and an angel helpfully points, looking right at us. An amazing composition of hands and faces in a mysterious landscape.

Virgin and Child with St. Anne 1543 Mary, sitting on her mom's lap, tries to keep Baby Jesus away from the sacrificial lamb for now anyway.The painting is unfinished, especially Mary's dress. Set in another mysterious landscape, same as....

Mona Lisa 1539 The Louvre

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Jay Spears
jay@gayheroes.com
Date Last Modified: 12/21/04