Leonardo da Vinci's "The Last Supper" occupies the entire narrow side of the quadrangular hall in the refectory of the monastery of Santa Maria delle Grazie in Milan. At nearly nine meters wide, it is Leonardo's largest painting.

The Last Supper is one of the most important events in the life of Jesus recorded in the Bible. It was the last meal Jesus ate with his disciples before his arrest and crucifixion. It was also the evening when the Eucharist, the representation of Jesus' blood in wine and his body in bread, was instituted.

The theme of the Last Supper had already been explored before Leonardo. In traditional depictions, Jesus calmly distributes the holy bread while all the disciples, except Judas, sit side by side at the table. Painters used various methods to clarify the identity of Judas Iscariot. Judas is depicted without the halo that defines the holy figures, standing on the other side of the table, with his back to the viewer. In short, Judas was depicted in isolation from the eleven disciples of Jesus. Leonardo's Last Supper was quite different from these versions. There was movement and excitement on stage. Every figure was alive with delicately calculated movements, their forms alive with expressive emotion on their faces. Leonardo had created a masterpiece in terms of stage design and the identification of Judas.

The apostles are depicted in three groups, positioned left and right in relation to Jesus at the center of a long dining table. Each group is depicted with distinctive gestures and facial expressions. Jesus has just spoken the words that will astonish the disciples. In the reactions of almost all the apostles, the fear and astonishment after the revelation of the betrayal can be easily seen.

Bartholomew at the left end of the table jumps out of his chair in excitement, James the Less and Andrew next to him throw up their hands in astonishment. Peter, who seems to be the most impetuous, also rushes to his feet and inevitably pushes Judas over the table. Judas, the betrayer of Jesus, is depicted leaning against the table, his left hand reaching for the bread on the table, while his right hand presses the coin purse, the symbol of betrayal, to his chest. In other versions of the Last Supper, Judas is depicted at the other end of the table or with his back to the viewer, but in this painting he is depicted for the first time among the other apostles.

Although he is depicted among the twelve apostles, Leonardo has skillfully separated Judas from the other figures. He made him more prominent by drawing back in fear. Judas is positioned right next to John, his hands clasped in silence, his head bowed as if in deep thought. To Jesus' left are two other groups of disciples gathered in threes. Thomas with his hands on his sides after Jesus' revelation, James the Great with his expression of confusion mixed with fear, and Philip on his feet constitute one group; Matthew, Taddeus and Simon, who raises his hands as if asking a question, constitute the other group.

Jesus is on the foreground as if blessed by the light filtering through the window with a view at the back. Jesus is also at the center of the perspective. Despite the activity of the excited disciples, Jesus stretches his hands on the table in silence. With his head leaning forward and his desperate hands on the table, it is as if he is in deep sorrow. The Eucharist is also depicted in the painting; one hand of Jesus is holding the bread and the other is holding a glass of wine.

There were three arch mirrors on the upper part of the wall of the refectory where the painting is located. The groups of apostles at either end of the table are under the two smaller arches on either side, while the two inner groups and Jesus are under the center arch. The author of the painting was Ludovico Sforza, who wanted his family graveyard to be in this monastery. The arch mirrors display the coats of arms of the Sforza family surrounded by ornaments. The coat of arms of Ludovico Sforza and his wife Beatrice d'Este are in the center, while to the right and left of Ludovico are the coats of arms of his sons Massimiliano and Francesco.
The Last Supper is the result of Leonardo's long experimentation with gestures and facial expressions and his search for new ways of expression. It has been recognized all over the world through countless copies, reproductions and illustrations.

Leonardo turned to the biblical text, focusing on the moment when Jesus said to his disciples, "Truly I tell you, one of you will betray me" (Matthew 26:21). He chose this dramatic moment when Jesus reveals the betrayal of one of his disciples. The disciples are portrayed as bewildered by Jesus' revelation, questioning who the traitor is. It is precisely these mutual questions and signaling that are the magic of the vividness of this scene. You can visit this famous work of Da Vinci today by booking a Last Supper ticket. Visitors are given only 15 minutes to examine the work.