Year: 1495–1498
Movement: High Renaissance
Location: Santa Maria delle Grazie, Milan
Da Vinci’s The Last Supper is probably the most important mural painting in the history of the world. The Dominican monastery of Santa Maria delle Grazie has been declared a World Heritage site as a “unique artistic achievement, of an exceptional universal value that transcends all historical contingencies.”
Da Vinci did scores of preparatory sketches before applying brush to the wall of the dining room of the Santa Maria delle Grazie. Using a nail and string, Da Vinci placed the vanishing point directly behind Jesus’ head so that the table ends, ceiling squares and all other parallel lines are geometrically aligned.
This Jesus painting is so familiar and famous that many have assumed that details of the painting include secrets or reveal clues to elaborate conspiracy theories. While they’re all incredibly off-base, these theories point to the everlasting cultural influence of this painting.