One of Leonardo da Vinci’s most famous and most debated paintings is his late 15th century fresco “The Last Supper.” Placed throughout the composition are various symbols with meanings that remain controversial and uncertain to this day. For centuries, scholars and art historians alike have tried to uncover what exactly Leonardo was trying to say to his audience in this exceptional work. In this first installment of Patheos’ new series on Art and Religion, we look at the various messages hidden within this popular piece, attempting to decipher what they are and what they mean about Leonardo, Jesus, the Last Supper, and faith.

Note: The primary painting featured in this episode is a copy of Leonardo's original "The Last Supper" that is most often attributed to two of Leonardo's pupils: Giampietrino (1508-1549) and Giovanni Antonio Boltraffio (1467-1516). This copy is believed to have been completed sometime between 1515 and 1520, approximately 20 years after Leonardo completed his original work.

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Chapters:

0:00 - Introduction
0:36 - Leonardo's Cameos and Symbolism
1:40 - Setting the Stage
2:04 - Location of the Work and Trinitarian Allusions
3:00 - Judas
5:08 - Peter
5:59 - No Halo
7:12 - Other Curious Features and Symbols
7:42 - Mary Magdelene or John the Beloved?
10:23 - Other Possible Symbols
11:31 - Afterword

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Quotation Sources:

2:08 - "The Last Supper by Leonardo da Vinci: Meaning, Interpretation of Famous Renaissance Fresco Mural Painting,” http://www.visual-arts-cork.com/famou...

3:42, 3:49 - Ken Zurski, “Lefty Leonardo and the Foretelling Symbolism of ‘The Last Supper’" https://unrememberedhistory.com/2019/...

9:29 - Lynn Picknett & Clive Prince, "Turin Shroud: In Whose Image? The Truth Behind the Centuries-Long Conspiracy of Silence" (New York: HarperCollins, 1994), 104.

10:30 - Robert E. Gordon, “The Hidden Symbolism Within Leonardo’s ‘Last Supper'” https://aleteia.org/2019/06/26/the-hi...

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General Bibliography

Dr. Brent Schultz, "Leonardo da Vinci Decoded: Hidden Images and Music of the Last Supper Revealed" (Davinate Books, 2020).

Michael Ladwein, "Leonardo da Vinci: The Last Supper" (Temple Lodge Publishing, 2006).

Ross King, "Leonardo and the Last Supper" (Bloomsbury USA, 2013).

Elaine L. Wilson, "The Passion of the Soul: The Last Supper by Leonardo da Vinci" (CreateSpace, 2015).

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Music Courtesy of Envato Elements (https://www.envato.com/)