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15th September

We went for a walk to Piazza della Scala, home to the city's famous opera house which was designed by Giuseppe Piermarini in 1776-1778, to hold up to 2,000 spectators. We decided that rather than take a tour through the theatre, we would try and get last minute tickets to the final performance for the month. The deal was you had to come back at 6pm.

We went for a walk, had lunch then went back for the tickets, after working out the system we finally managed to get some (which were close to the last ones!!) and then had an hour and forty five minutes to get back to the hotel using the underground, shower and get back for the show! It was a challenge but we’ve been under pressure many times in our travels last year and managed it with ease!!

The Last Supper...

Tav
2006-10-23 14:02:35

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idea was that?!?!

Our guide explained that the picture, which was extremely interesting (can’t believe I didn’t take my glasses!! Arggghh!!) and also said that the Da Vinci Code was a fictional book and should be forgotten about for the following 10 minutes whilst she ran through the explanation of the painting - I thought that was interesting as I was waiting to see what they were going to say about it all!! And they stock all the Da Vinci Code books in their gift shop.

A bell rang and we were all marched out before I spent any time just looking at the painting which was a little disappointing… We didn’t get any time at all to see the painting at the other end of the hall. Tight schedule apparently!

This isn’t the exact same info that was provided to us but it will give you an idea…

Leonardo was commissioned to execute the painting in the Dominican monastery of this Church by Duke of Milan, Ludovico Sforza.

The church and friary found an ambitious patron in Ludovico Sforza. The Duke wanted to give visible expression to his position in both impressive buildings like the grand Church and grandiose paintings like the Last Supper. Therefore, Santa Maria delle Grazie became the court church, burial place for members of the Ducal family, and home to Leonardo's famous painting.

While the Last Supper is a typical subject chosen for the decoration of many refectories because of the Eucharistic theme of sacrifice, Leonardo chose to capture the moment in which Jesus announces to the apostles that he knows one of them will betray him. The apostles are captured in their sense of astonishment immediately after this announcement. His conception and pictorial treatment of the subject forges a new path.

Secondly, the Last Supper's initial appearances as Christian iconography illustrated two main ideas handed down ...