Leonardo da Vinci | Page 5

John the Baptist; that
the St John has a reed cross and the three principal figures have gilt
nimbi, which were, however, evidently added much later. In the
National Gallery version the left hand of the Madonna, the Christ's
right hand and arm, and the forehead of St. John the Baptist are freely
restored, while a strip of the foreground right across the whole picture
is ill painted and lacks accent. The head of the angel is, however,
magnificently painted, and by Leonardo; the panel, taken as a whole, is
exceedingly beautiful and full of charm and tenderness.

THE LAST SUPPER
Between 1496 and 1498 Leonardo painted his _chef d'oeuvre_, the
"Last Supper," (Plate IV.) for the end wall of the Refectory of the
Dominican Convent of S. Maria delle Grazie at Milan. It was originally
executed in tempera on a badly prepared stucco ground and began to
deteriorate a very few years after its completion. As early as 1556 it
was half ruined. In 1652 the monks cut away a part of the fresco
including the feet of the Christ to make a doorway. In 1726 one
Michelangelo Belotti, an obscure Milanese painter, received £300 for
the worthless labour he bestowed on restoring it. He seems to have
employed some astringent restorative which revived the colours
temporarily, and then left them in deeper eclipse than before. In 1770
the fresco was again restored by Mazza. In 1796 Napoleon's cavalry,
contrary to his express orders, turned the refectory into a stable, and

pelted the heads of the figures with dirt. Subsequently the refectory was
used to store hay, and at one time or another it has been flooded. In
1820 the fresco was again restored, and in 1854 this restoration was
effaced. In October 1908 Professor Cavenaghi completed the delicate
task of again restoring it, and has, in the opinion of experts, now
preserved it from further injury. In addition, the devices of Ludovico
and his Duchess and a considerable amount of floral decoration by
Leonardo himself have been brought to light.
Leonardo has succeeded in producing the effect of the _coup de
théâtre_ at the moment when Jesus said "One of you shall betray me."
Instantly the various apostles realise that there is a traitor among their
number, and show by their different gestures their different passions,
and reveal their different temperaments. On the left of Christ is St. John
who is overcome with grief and is interrogated by the impetuous Peter,
near whom is seated Judas Iscariot who, while affecting the calm of
innocence, is quite unable to conceal his inner feelings; he instinctively
clasps the money-bag and in so doing upsets the salt-cellar.
It will be remembered that the Prior of the Convent complained to
Ludovico Sforza, Duke of Milan, that Leonardo was taking too long to
paint the fresco and was causing the Convent considerable
inconvenience. Leonardo had his revenge by threatening to paint the
features of the impatient Prior into the face of Judas Iscariot. The
incident has been quaintly told in the following lines:--
"Padre Bandelli, then, complains of me Because, forsooth, I have not
drawn a line Upon the Saviour's head; perhaps, then, he Could without
trouble paint that head divine. But think, oh Signor Duca, what should
be The pure perfection of Our Saviour's face-- What sorrowing majesty,
what noble grace, At that dread moment when He brake the bread, And
those submissive words of pathos said:
"'By one among you I shall be betrayed,'-- And say if 'tis an easy task to
find Even among the best that walk this Earth, The fitting type of that
divinest worth, That has its image solely in the mind. Vainly my pencil
struggles to express The sorrowing grandeur of such holiness. In
patient thought, in ever-seeking prayer, I strive to shape that glorious
face within, But the soul's mirror, dulled and dimmed by sin, Reflects
not yet the perfect image there. Can the hand do before the soul has
wrought; Is not our art the servant of our thought?

"And Judas too, the basest face I see, Will not contain his utter infamy;
Among the dregs and offal of mankind Vainly I seek an utter wretch to
find. He who for thirty silver coins could sell His Lord, must be the
Devil's miracle. Padre Bandelli thinks it easy is To find the type of him
who with a kiss Betrayed his Lord. Well, what I can I'll do; And if it
please his reverence and you, For Judas' face I'm willing to paint his."
* * * * *
"... I dare not paint Till all is ordered and matured within, Hand-work
and head-work have an earthly taint, But when the soul commands I
shall begin; On themes like these I should not dare to