Leonardo da Vinci (pronunciation) was born on April 15, 1452 (died 1519) in the village of Vinci, just outside of Florence in the region of Tuscany, Italy. He was apprenticed in the shop of the painter and sculptor Verrocchio until about 1476.
The Last Supper was commissioned by Lodovico Sforza of Milan. As Lodovico’s court artist, Leonardo’s duties included constructing theatrical devices for pageants and designing weapons that could be used against the enemies of Milan- including the artist’s Florentine compatriots.
In 1494, Ludovico commissioned Leonardo to decorate the refectory of the Church of Santa Maria delle Grazie, a Sforza family religious place. Traditional decorations were chosen for two walls, epitomising the Crucifixion and the Last Supper.
Donato Montorfano worked on the Crucifixion, using a traditional setting. On the opposite wall, Leonardo began work on the Last Supper. The work is assumed to have been started around 1495–96 and was commissioned as part of a plan of renovations to the church.
The Last Supper by Leonardo da Vinci in history
