The Last Supper has been extensively restored at a cost of millions of dollars, and so has Milan,
which had to be completely reconstructed after the war. Leonardo did extensive research and created
many studies and preparatory sketches before completing the painting, twenty of which have
survived and are, oddly enough, kept in the Royal Library at Windsor Castle, where they have been
stored since 1600.
which had to be completely reconstructed after the war. Leonardo did extensive research and created
many studies and preparatory sketches before completing the painting, twenty of which have
survived and are, oddly enough, kept in the Royal Library at Windsor Castle, where they have been
stored since 1600.
Johann Christian Bach was among many Germans who for
centuries had ties with Italian regions. He moved to Milan when
work was slow at home, just as Leonardo da Vince had done
when work was slow in Florence in 1481. Milan dates back to the
Bronze Age. It is here in Milan, at Santa Maria delle Grazie, that
Leonardo painted The Last Supper from 1495 to 1497.
centuries had ties with Italian regions. He moved to Milan when
work was slow at home, just as Leonardo da Vince had done
when work was slow in Florence in 1481. Milan dates back to the
Bronze Age. It is here in Milan, at Santa Maria delle Grazie, that
Leonardo painted The Last Supper from 1495 to 1497.
The Last Roof
Leonardo tried an experimental wall-painting technique, not wanting to paint in fresco. The humidity
in the room caused the paint to start flaking as soon as 1517, and by 1586 it was barely visible. After
several bungled restorations, the monks decided to cut a doorway through the center of the painting
in 1653, amputating the feet of Jesus and part of the table in the process.
in the room caused the paint to start flaking as soon as 1517, and by 1586 it was barely visible. After
several bungled restorations, the monks decided to cut a doorway through the center of the painting
in 1653, amputating the feet of Jesus and part of the table in the process.
c.1400
1944
| Since we're in Italy anyway |
Thousand of fragments were rescued and put into boxes. After 50 years,
serious effort was made to collect and to classify the 72,500 bits and
pieces, out of which only 52000 of them were big enough to be codified.
Digital technology has had some success.
Padua, Eremitani fragments, left
serious effort was made to collect and to classify the 72,500 bits and
pieces, out of which only 52000 of them were big enough to be codified.
Digital technology has had some success.
Padua, Eremitani fragments, left
The monastery of Montecassino was founded by St Benedictin in 529, and here he wrote 'The Rules
of Benedict', a guide for daily monastery life which Charlemagne's son, Louis the Pious, mandated
be the only one allowed in Frankish monasteries. The community eventually became known as the
Order of St Benedict. The Longobards destroyed Montecassino in 577 and it was rebuilt.
of Benedict', a guide for daily monastery life which Charlemagne's son, Louis the Pious, mandated
be the only one allowed in Frankish monasteries. The community eventually became known as the
Order of St Benedict. The Longobards destroyed Montecassino in 577 and it was rebuilt.
It received privileged status after a 787 visit from Charlemagne, but was
destroyed again in 883 by the Saracens, and destroyed again by an
earthquake in 1349. Again it was rebuilt. The unlucky monastery was
destroyed in an Allied bombing raid based on another faulty rumor that
it was being used by the Germans. It was early morning on February
15, 1944 when the abbey of Montecassino was attacked. A small group
of monks plus hundreds of refugees were in the monastery when the
first cluster of 250 kg bombs fell from the first of the four formations of
B-17, the Flying Fortresses ordered to destroy the monastery. Four
other waves of medium-range bombers followed. 453 tons of bombs
dropped, in eight waves, by 239 bombers. When it was over, several
hundred refugees trapped inside the building lay dead in the rubble.
destroyed again in 883 by the Saracens, and destroyed again by an
earthquake in 1349. Again it was rebuilt. The unlucky monastery was
destroyed in an Allied bombing raid based on another faulty rumor that
it was being used by the Germans. It was early morning on February
15, 1944 when the abbey of Montecassino was attacked. A small group
of monks plus hundreds of refugees were in the monastery when the
first cluster of 250 kg bombs fell from the first of the four formations of
B-17, the Flying Fortresses ordered to destroy the monastery. Four
other waves of medium-range bombers followed. 453 tons of bombs
dropped, in eight waves, by 239 bombers. When it was over, several
hundred refugees trapped inside the building lay dead in the rubble.
c.1400
1944
Ancient Padua, Italy, was also bombed in World War Two and lost several ancient masterpieces.
The Eremitani Church, built at the turn of the 13th century, was all but destroyed by Allied bombing
on March 11, 1944 after Germans were rumored to have been inside the church.
The Eremitani Church, built at the turn of the 13th century, was all but destroyed by Allied bombing
on March 11, 1944 after Germans were rumored to have been inside the church.
In 1306, Brother Giovanni degli Eremitani, a monk famous for having
built the roof of the Palace of Reason, built the original roof of the
church, which was blown into pieces by the attack along with the frescoes
by Guariento in the apse, and by Andrea Mantegna, N Pizolo, A.Vivarini
and G. d'Alemagna in the Ovetari chapel,
built the roof of the Palace of Reason, built the original roof of the
church, which was blown into pieces by the attack along with the frescoes
by Guariento in the apse, and by Andrea Mantegna, N Pizolo, A.Vivarini
and G. d'Alemagna in the Ovetari chapel,
As it turned out, no Germans were in the church. Although the church
was restored after the war, most of these frescoes that decorated the
church and others were either totally lost or severely damaged.
was restored after the war, most of these frescoes that decorated the
church and others were either totally lost or severely damaged.
| The Shortobrains... |
| The Last Supper |
Occupying French troops under Napoleon next used the building as a stable in 1796, and out of sheer
boredom, the soldiers took turns throwing clay at the faces of the Apostles as target practise. Then,
in 1800, a flood left green mold all over the face of the painting, but it was painstakingly removed.
boredom, the soldiers took turns throwing clay at the faces of the Apostles as target practise. Then,
in 1800, a flood left green mold all over the face of the painting, but it was painstakingly removed.
As an industrial center, Milan was the target of continuous Allied bombing in World War Two, and
on July 12,1943, after repeated heavy bombing, 656 RAF bombers destroyed Milan within 30
minutes after dropping 1,000 tons of incendiaries (out of a total load of 1,252 tons of bombs)
squarely on the city center. The wall with the painting survived only because it had been protected
by sandbags. However, the bombing tore off the room's roof, leaving the fresco exposed to the
elements for three years.
on July 12,1943, after repeated heavy bombing, 656 RAF bombers destroyed Milan within 30
minutes after dropping 1,000 tons of incendiaries (out of a total load of 1,252 tons of bombs)
squarely on the city center. The wall with the painting survived only because it had been protected
by sandbags. However, the bombing tore off the room's roof, leaving the fresco exposed to the
elements for three years.
At the time, the bombing of ancient monestery was the most impressive bombardment in history ever
directed at a single building. The next day, Roosevelt opened a press conference with: “I read in the
afternoon papers about the bombing of the abbey of Montecassino by our forces. In the reports it
was clearly explained that the reason why it was bombed is that the Germans were using it to
bombard us. It was a German stronghold, with artillery and everything necessary”. This was untrue.
directed at a single building. The next day, Roosevelt opened a press conference with: “I read in the
afternoon papers about the bombing of the abbey of Montecassino by our forces. In the reports it
was clearly explained that the reason why it was bombed is that the Germans were using it to
bombard us. It was a German stronghold, with artillery and everything necessary”. This was untrue.
On 9 March, when the English Foreign Office asked for evidence they could provide to the Vatican
as to why the monastery was destroyed, English General Henry Maitland Wilson claimed he had at
least twelve pieces of “irrefutable evidence” that the monastery was used by the German military, but
he wanted to keep his evidence secret to prevent the Germans from "constructing false counter
evidence in consequence". It was promised that the evidence would be given to the Vatican in due
time. That time never came. There had recently been no German soldiers within the abbey or in its
immediate vicinity, Later it was learned that one of the "pieces of evidence" was an intercepted and
mistranslated German message that they claimed said "the division is in the monastery" when in
reality it said: "The monks are in the monastery".
as to why the monastery was destroyed, English General Henry Maitland Wilson claimed he had at
least twelve pieces of “irrefutable evidence” that the monastery was used by the German military, but
he wanted to keep his evidence secret to prevent the Germans from "constructing false counter
evidence in consequence". It was promised that the evidence would be given to the Vatican in due
time. That time never came. There had recently been no German soldiers within the abbey or in its
immediate vicinity, Later it was learned that one of the "pieces of evidence" was an intercepted and
mistranslated German message that they claimed said "the division is in the monastery" when in
reality it said: "The monks are in the monastery".
Sixty years later the US and England finally admitted that the bombing of Montecassino was “a tragic
error...the result of poor intelligence”. Bernard Cyril Freyberg was raised to the peerage for his acts.
error...the result of poor intelligence”. Bernard Cyril Freyberg was raised to the peerage for his acts.
It was destroyed under pressure from commander Bernard Cyril Freyberg, a
former New Zealand dentist. Freyberg claimed the Germans were directing their
artillery fire from the abbey and on February 12, he demanded the bombing of the
monastery for reasons of “military necessity”, even threatening the withdrawal of
his troops were he not contented. The Americans agreed, party because the Allied
media had been hammering away suggesting that soldiers were dying because
military commanders in Italy were being too soft toward the Catholic Church.
former New Zealand dentist. Freyberg claimed the Germans were directing their
artillery fire from the abbey and on February 12, he demanded the bombing of the
monastery for reasons of “military necessity”, even threatening the withdrawal of
his troops were he not contented. The Americans agreed, party because the Allied
media had been hammering away suggesting that soldiers were dying because
military commanders in Italy were being too soft toward the Catholic Church.
