The Last Supper description of Da Vinci's painting. The meaning of the Last Supper icon and whether it is needed in the house

Painting or fresco. Many people call the Last Supper a painting, but officially it is called a fresco. For those readers who do not understand the difference well, we will tell you exactly what these two types of works are fine arts differ from each other.

last supper is not actually a mural, don't look at the official name. Leonardo da Vinci wrote it on a dry surface, and had his own reasons for this. The fresco needs to be painted quickly enough, before the plaster dries, but the master did not want to rush.

We won’t talk at length about the plot, the last meal of Jesus Christ. Jesus is in the center of the picture, with 12 apostles around him. Jesus tells his disciples that one of them will betray him. We will tell you in detail about what to look for when examining a painting at the end of this article.

Those tourists who tried to find information about the Last Supper in English or Italian noticed that this work is called completely differently. Only in our language she wears this beautiful name. In other European languages ​​it is simply called “The Last Supper.” “Last super” - in English or “L"Ultima Cena” - in Italian. These names will be useful for purchasing tickets online.

Problem with tickets.

After the release of the film “The Da Vinci Code,” the popularity of this attraction increased greatly and still does not subside. Tourists are allowed inside strictly for 15 minutes and in a limited group of 25 people. It is not always possible to buy tickets at the box office; during the peak season in summer, there may not be tickets available for a week in advance. In winter the situation is much better; tickets can usually be purchased for excursions on the current day.

You can book tickets in advance online. There are several sites where you can do this. All of them do not have Russian versions, only Italian and English.

The first site - vivaticket.it is distinguished by affordable prices. The ticket costs only 11.5 euros, including guide services. But you will have to register on this site to purchase a ticket, and this procedure is not easy.

The second site - www.milan-museum.com allows you to buy tickets without registration, but you will still have to enter your contact information and credit card information. The minimum ticket price on this site is 23.5 euros.

The third site - www.tickitaly.com is even more expensive, but it is also the most understandable and convenient. It’s easiest to buy tickets here, but they cost from 33 euros.

In any case, you will be sent a voucher, which you will need to print and present at the ticket office, in exchange for which you will receive a ticket.

What to look for when you get inside.

The second thing you should pay attention to is the face of Christ himself. He knows his fate, his expression does not look like fear at all. It was this face that Leonardo da Vinci worked on the most.

And, of course, it is worth paying attention to the faces of the apostles. They are confused, each asking Jesus if he is the traitor. Many people have fear or surprise on their faces.

Another interesting detail is at the bottom of the picture, right under Christ. This is part of the doorway, which was made here after the fresco was severely destroyed by time.

There are three Last Suppers in the world.

In the monastery of Santa Maria del Grazie in Milan there is an original by Leonardo da Vinci himself. In fact, there is little left of the master’s own brushstrokes. Since the artist painted on a dry surface, after 20 years the Last Supper began to collapse, and after 60 years the figures were already difficult to distinguish.

In Italy, a doorway was made in their place, but, of course, they remained on the copies. One of these copies is in London at the Royal Academy of Arts. The second copy can be seen in Switzerland in the Church of St. Ambrogio.

We wish you a successful visit to Milan and an interesting examination of the Last Supper fresco. Read about other attractions in Italy in our articles ( links below).

On the fifth day after the Lord’s triumphal entry into Jerusalem, on Thursday, the disciples asked Jesus Christ: “Where do you tell us to prepare Passover for You?” (The Passover lamb was to be slaughtered on Friday evening).

Jesus Christ said to them: “Go to Jerusalem; there you will meet a man carrying a jug of water; follow him into the house and tell the owner: The teacher says: where is the upper room (room) in which I would celebrate the Passover with My disciples? He will show you a large, furnished room; cook there." Having said this, the Savior sent two of His disciples: Peter and John. They went, and everything was fulfilled as the Savior said, and they prepared Easter.

In the evening of that day, Jesus Christ, knowing that He would be betrayed that night, came with His twelve apostles to the prepared upper room. When everyone reclined at the table, Jesus Christ said: “I greatly desired to eat this Passover with you before My suffering, because, I tell you, I will no longer eat it until it is accomplished in the Kingdom of God.” Then he stood up, took off his outer clothing, girded himself with a towel, poured water into the washbasin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and wipe them with the towel with which he girded. Having washed the feet of the disciples, Jesus Christ put on His clothes and, lying down again, said to them: “Do you know what I have done to you? Behold, you call Me Teacher and Lord, and you call Me correctly. So, if I, your Lord and Teacher, washed your feet, then you should do the same. I have given you an example, so that you also do what I have done to you.”

By this example, the Lord showed not only His love for His disciples, but also taught them humility, that is, not to consider it a humiliation for themselves to serve anyone, even an inferior person.

After eating the Old Testament Jewish Passover, Jesus Christ instituted the Sacrament of Holy Communion at this supper.

And while they were eating, Jesus took bread and, having blessed it, broke it and, giving it to the disciples, said: “Take, eat; This is My Body, broken for you for the remission of sins (that is, for you it is given over to suffering and death, for the forgiveness of sins).” Then he took a cup of grape wine, blessed it, thanking God the Father for all His mercies to the human race, and, giving it to the disciples, said: “Drink from it, everyone, this is My Blood of the New Testament, shed for you for the remission of sins.”

These words mean that, under the guise of bread and wine, the Savior taught His disciples the same Body and Blood, which the next day after that He gave over to suffering and death for our sins. How bread and wine become the Body and Blood of the Lord is a mystery, incomprehensible even to the Angels, which is why communion is called a Sacrament.

The Lord gave the commandment to always perform this Sacrament, saying: “Do this in remembrance of Me.” This sacrament is being performed with us now and will be performed until the end of the century during a divine service called Liturgy or Liturgy.

During the Last Supper, the Savior announced to the apostles that one of them would betray Him. They were very saddened by this and in bewilderment, looking at each other, in fear they began to ask one after another: “Am I not, Lord?” Judas also asked: “Isn’t it me, Rabbi?” Jesus says to him: “You said.” John reclined next to the Savior. Peter signaled to him to ask who the Lord was talking about. John, falling to the Savior’s chest, quietly said: “Lord! Who is this?" Jesus answered just as quietly: “The one to whom I dip a piece of bread I give.” And, dipping a piece of bread, he handed it to Judas Iscariot, saying: “Whatever you are doing, do it quickly.” But no one understood why the Savior told him this. And since Judas had a box of money, the disciples thought that Jesus Christ was sending him to buy something for the holiday or to give alms to the poor. Judas, having accepted the piece, immediately left. It was night.

Jesus Christ, continuing to talk with His disciples, said: “Children! I won't be with you for long now. I give you a new commandment, that you love one another, as I have loved you. By this everyone will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for each other. And there is no greater love than this, that someone lays down his life (gives his life) for his friends. You are My friends if you do what I command you.”

During this conversation, Jesus Christ predicted to the disciples that they would all be offended because of Him that night, they would all run away, leaving Him alone. The Holy Apostle Peter said: “Even if everyone is offended because of You, I will never be offended.” Then the Savior said to him: “Truly I tell you, this night, before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times and say that you do not know Me.” But Peter began to assure even more, saying: “Even though I had to die with You, I will not deny You.” All the other apostles said the same thing. But still the Savior’s words saddened them.

Comforting them, the Lord said: “Do not let your heart be troubled (that is, do not grieve), believe in God (the Father) and believe in Me (the Son of God). The Savior promised His disciples to send from the Father another Comforter and Teacher, instead of Himself - the Holy Spirit: “I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Comforter, the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him and does not know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you and will be in you (this means that the Holy Spirit will abide with all true believers in Jesus Christ - in the Church of Christ). A little more - and the world will no longer see Me; and you will see Me; for I live (I am Life; and death cannot overcome Me), and you shall live. But the Comforter, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, will teach you everything and remind you of everything that I have told you.” The Holy Spirit, the Spirit of truth, “Who proceeds from the Father, He will testify about Me; and you also will testify, because you were with Me from the beginning” (John 15:26-27).

Jesus Christ also predicted to His disciples that they would have to suffer a lot of evil and troubles from people because they believe in Him: “In the world you will have tribulation; but take heart (be strong): I have overcome the world (that is, I have overcome evil in the world).”

The Savior ended His conversation with a prayer for His disciples and for all who would believe in Him, so that the Heavenly Father would preserve them all in firm faith, in love and in unanimity (in unity) among themselves.

Having finished the supper, they went beyond the Kidron stream, to the Mount of Olives, to the Garden of Gethsemane.

NOTE: See Matt. 26, 17-35; Mk. 14, 12-31; OK. 22, 7-39; In. 13-17; 18, 1.

Last Supper - event last days earthly life of Jesus Christ, his last meal with his twelve closest disciples, during which he established the sacrament of the Eucharist and predicted the betrayal of one of the disciples. The Last Supper is the subject of many icons and paintings, but the most famous work- This is “The Last Supper” by Leonardo da Vinci.

In the center of Milan, next to the Gothic church of Santa Maria della Grazie, is the entrance to the former Dominican monastery, where the famous wall painting by Leonardo da Vinci is located. Created in 1495-97, The Last Supper is the most copied work. Already during the Renaissance, about 20 works with the same theme were written by artists from France, Germany and Spain.

Church of Santa Maria della Grazie

The painter received an order to paint the work from his patron, the Duke of Milan Ludovico Sforza in 1495. Despite the fact that the ruler was famous for his dissolute life, after the death of his wife he did not leave his room for 15 days. And when he came out, the first thing he did was order Leonardo da Vinci to paint a fresco, which his late wife had once asked for, and forever stopped all entertainment at court.

Sketch

"The Last Supper", description

Leonardo's brush depicted Jesus Christ with his apostles during last supper, before his execution, took place in Jerusalem, on the eve of his arrest by the Romans. According to the scripture, Jesus said during the meal that one of the apostles would betray him (“and while they were eating, he said, “Truly I say to you, one of you will betray me”). Leonardo da Vinci tried to depict the reaction of each of the students to the prophetic phrase of the teacher. An artist, as usual creative people, worked very chaotically. Either he did not look up from his work for whole days, or he applied only a few strokes. He walked around the city, talked to ordinary people, watched the emotions on their faces.

The dimensions of the work are approximately 460x880 cm, it is located in the refectory of the monastery, on the back wall. Although it is often called a fresco, this is not entirely correct. After all, Leonardo da Vinci wrote his work not on wet plaster, but on dry plaster, so that he could edit it several times. To do this, the artist applied a thick layer of egg tempera to the wall.

Painting method oil paints turned out to be very short-lived. Ten years later, he and his students are trying to carry out the first restoration work. A total of eight restorations were made over the course of 300 years. As a result, new layers of paint were repeatedly applied to the painting, significantly distorting the original.

Today, in order to protect this delicate work from damage, the building maintains a constant temperature and humidity through special filtering devices. Admission at a time is limited to 25 people every 15 minutes, and entrance tickets must be booked in advance.

The iconic work of Da Vinci is surrounded by legends; a number of secrets and guesses are associated with it. We will present some of them.

Leonardo Da Vinci "The Last Supper"

1. It is believed that Leonardo da Vinci had the hardest time writing two characters: Jesus and Judas. The artist spent a long time searching for suitable models to embody the images of good and evil.

Jesus

One day Leonardo saw a young singer in the church choir - so spiritual and pure that there was no doubt: he had found the prototype of Jesus for his “Last Supper”. All that remained was to find Judas.

Judas

The artist spent hours wandering around the hot spots, but he got lucky only after almost 3 years. An absolutely degenerate guy was lying in a ditch, in a state of severe alcoholic intoxication. He was brought to the workshop. And after the image of Judas was painted, the drunkard approached the picture and admitted that he had already seen it before. It turned out that three years ago he was completely different, he led a healthy lifestyle and sang in the church choir. And one day some artist approached him with a proposal to paint Christ from him.

2. The painting contains repeated references to the number three:

The apostles sit in groups of three;

Behind Jesus are three windows;

The contours of the figure of Christ resemble a triangle.

3. The figure of the student, positioned along right hand from Christ. It is believed that this is Mary Magdalene and her location indicates the fact that she was the legal wife of Jesus. This fact is allegedly confirmed by the letter “M” (from “Matrimonio” - “marriage”), which is formed by the contours of the couple’s bodies. At the same time, some historians argue with this statement and insist that the signature of Leonardo da Vinci is visible in the picture - the letter “V”.

4. During World War II, on August 15, 1943, the refectory was bombed. The shell that hit the church building destroyed almost everything except the wall on which the fresco was depicted. Sandbags prevented bomb fragments from entering the painting, but vibration could have had a detrimental effect.

5. Historians and art historians study in detail not only the apostles, but also the food depicted on the table. For example, the biggest subject of controversy is still the fish in the picture. It is not determined whether what is painted on the fresco is a herring or an eel. Scientists see this as an encrypted hidden meaning. And all because in Italian “eel” is pronounced “aringa”. And “arringa” means instruction. At the same time, the word "herring" is pronounced in northern Italy as "renga", which means "one who denies religion."

There is no doubt that Leonardo da Vinci’s “Last Supper” still conceals many unsolved secrets. And as soon as they are solved, we will certainly write about it.

It is difficult to find a person who is not at all familiar with the Last Supper icon. Those who regularly visit the temple and participate in church sacraments have probably seen it over the Royal Doors more than once. Those who are in the habit of praying at home before meals hang the image in the dining room. And an unbeliever, at least once in his life, has caught the eye of famous fresco Leonardo da Vinci, painted for a Milan monastery, is also, in fact, an icon... But what is the meaning behind it? What does the image symbolize? What purpose does it serve?

Sacrament of the Eucharist

What the Last Supper icon means for a Christian is both easy and extremely difficult to tell. It’s easy - because every person, even superficially familiar with the Holy Scriptures, knows what event it tells about. It’s difficult because it takes us to realize deep meaning what happened during the festive meal in the Upper Room of Zion, everyone comes in their own way...

All year round, with rare exceptions, the Church celebrates the Sacrament of Communion, established by Christ himself 2000 years ago. Then, at the Last Supper on the eve of Easter - and in the time of Jesus it was a holiday in honor of the liberation of the Jews from Egyptian slavery - it happened significant event. Having washed the disciples’ feet with his own hands and shared a meal with them, Jesus broke the bread and distributed it to the apostles, saying: “This is my body.” And then, handing over the cup, he proclaimed: “This is My Blood.”

Since then, the Church has been reproducing this action in the Sacrament of Communion or, in other words, the Eucharist. In the Sacrament, thanks to which a person who once fell away from God can reunite with Him, become one with His higher nature, and receive invaluable spiritual benefits. By accepting bread and wine - the body and blood of Christ, sacrificed for people - we take into ourselves His part and eternal life.

The subject of the first communion is often found in church paintings

The main meaning of the Last Supper icon is to serve as a reminder of the first communion of the apostles, the subsequent betrayal of Judas and the voluntary sacrifice made by Jesus Christ for us.

Where to place the icon?

Do you need an icon of the Last Supper in your home? If you are a believer and want to add it to your home iconostasis, such a question should not arise. Of course you need it!

However, let’s make a reservation right away: there are no strict rules on this topic. There is only a tradition that requires that in the home of an Orthodox Christian there should be an image of Jesus Christ, the Mother of God and the Holy Saints. Whether it will be St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, especially revered by the Russian people, the saints whose names are borne by the owner of the house and members of his family, or anyone else, depends only on you. There is also a place in this series for the apostles, captured in one of the most significant, exciting moments: the reception of the first Holy Gifts on this earth.

Place an icon in the dining room to pray before meals. Or in the kitchen, where ordinary, but so homely and warm breakfasts and dinners are held. Or on your home iconostasis - why not?

Some families have kept truly precious relics for many decades.

By the way, the “Last Supper”, along with the “Holy Trinity,” is allowed to be placed above the faces of the Savior and the Mother of God - this image is so highly valued.

What to pray for?

How does the Last Supper icon help?

• First of all, like any other, it gives us the opportunity to focus on communicating with God, to tell Him about our secret thoughts, worries and joys, to find peace of mind in prayer.
• If the icon hangs in the kitchen, the housewife can read a short prayer, asking for blessings on the work she has begun every time she starts cooking.
• If in the dining room, as already mentioned, they pray in front of the image before and after the meal.
• In a church where the Last Supper is traditionally placed at the Royal Doors, parishioners turn to it in order to receive the blessing to correctly receive the Holy Gifts.
• And before the image you can ask for forgiveness of sins, both in the temple and at home.

You can pray about everything that lies in a person’s soul.

Maundy Thursday in Church...

In memory of the festive meal, which was once secretly celebrated in Jerusalem, a separate day of Holy Week is dedicated - Maundy Thursday. In 2019, it falls on April 25, which means that on this day we will again remember with reverence the sacrament performed by the Savior for his disciples; empathize with his suffering on the cross; mourn death; rejoice in the resurrection and try to join Christ through confession and the Eucharist.

...And in folk traditions

It is not for nothing that Maundy Thursday is also called Clean Thursday. On this day, Christians strive to visit the bathhouse or take a bath at home. If this is not possible, for example if you are traveling, you should at least rinse your face and hands.

The water element is given special attention. On this day, the peasants tried to take a moment and run to a source or to a stream with a bucket: it was believed that “Thursday water” washes away all the sins accumulated over the year, bestows health, and if you throw a worn thing into the river, troubles and adversities will flow away after it .

In memory of the washing of the feet of the apostles, we strive to celebrate the holiday in purity

However, the housewives had no time to go to the river. Thursday became a day of great cooking for them. Cottage cheese for Easter was being ground, Easter cakes were being baked, and savory dishes were simmering on the stove and sizzling in hot oil, which were supposed to be treated to household members on the bright holiday. Well, other family members were busy painting eggs, because until the time it would be possible to give family, friends and acquaintances the main Easter treat in a bright shell, there was not much time left...

Video: Last Supper and First Communion

The video will tell you more about the meaning of the Sacrament of Communion and the Last Supper Orthodox TV channel"My Joy":

And a little more about Maundy Thursday:

Photo gallery: The Last Supper on icons and frescoes

The miracle - there is no other way to call it - that took place in Jerusalem on the eve of Easter, occupied the minds of icon painters and ordinary artists in all centuries. So much the better! Today we have an excellent opportunity to look at a wide variety of images of the Last Supper: photos of icons, frescoes and paintings painted both centuries ago and by modern masters. Each in its own way is a masterpiece!

The age of some icons is difficult to determine

Judas is often depicted reaching across the table for a dish

And how often the Last Supper is depicted in stained glass!

A familiar plot is also found on ancient tapestries.

Stone bas-reliefs look especially impressive

The Last Supper does not give peace to our contemporaries either.

Even the sculpture did not ignore the exciting topic

If you try to remember masterpieces of painting that have been copied countless times, then one of the first in this series will be the fresco “The Last Supper” by Leonardo da Vinci. Written over two years, from 1495 to 1497, already during the Renaissance, it received about 20 “heirs” of the same theme, written by masters of the brush from Spain, France and Germany.

It must be said that even before Leonardo, some Florentine artists had already used this plot in their work. Unfortunately, only the works of Giotto and Ghirlandaio have become known to modern art historians.

Leonardo da Vinci in Milan

Connoisseurs of painting, and especially the work of Leonardo da Vinci, have long known the location of the world famous fresco. But many fans still wonder where Leonardo da Vinci’s “Last Supper” is located. The answer will take us to Milan.

The creative period dating back to the time of work in Milan, like the artist’s entire life, is shrouded in secrets and covered with many legends for hundreds of years.

Leonardo da Vinci, known as a lover of riddles, puzzles and secret codes, left behind huge amount puzzles, some of which have still not been solved by scientists around the world. It may seem that both the life and work of the artist are a complete mystery.

Leonardo and Ludovico Sforza

The appearance of Leonardo in Milan is directly related to the name of Ludovico Maria Sforza, nicknamed Moro. An imperious ruler and talented figure in many fields, the Duke of Moreau in 1484 recruited Leonardo da Vinci, who had already become famous by that time, to serve. The artist's paintings and engineering talent attracted the attention of the visionary politician. He planned to use the young Leonardo as a hydraulic engineer, designer of civil structures and designer of military equipment. And he was not mistaken. The young engineer never ceased to amaze Moreau with his inventions. Such technical developments as new models of cannons and light weapons, the design of bridges unthinkable at that time, and mobile carts for military needs, invulnerable and impregnable, were proposed to the duke's court.

Milan. Temple of Santa Maria delle Grazie

By the time Leonardo arrived in Milan, construction of a Dominican monastery was already underway here. Having become the main architectural accent of the monastery complex, the temple of Santa Maria delle Grazie was completed under the direction of an Italian architect already famous at that time.

Duke Sforza planned to expand the area of ​​the temple and place the tomb of his great family here. Leonardo da Vinci was brought to work on the biblical story of The Last Supper in 1495. The place for the fresco was determined in the refectory of the temple.

Where can you see The Last Supper?

To make it easier to understand where Leonardo da Vinci’s “Last Supper” is located, you need to stand facing the temple from Corso Magenta and turn your gaze to the left side, the extension. Today it is a completely restored building. But the second world war did not skimp on destruction. Eyewitnesses said that after the air raids the temple was almost completely destroyed, and the fact that the fresco remained intact was called nothing less than a miracle.

Today, millions of art lovers flock to the place where Leonardo da Vinci’s “Last Supper” is located. Getting here is not so easy. During the tourist season, you need to book a place in a tour group in advance. And in order to preserve the masterpiece, visitors are allowed into the hall in small groups, and viewing time is limited to 15 minutes.

Long and painstaking work on the fresco

Work on creating the fresco progressed slowly. The artist worked chaotically, like all geniuses. Either he would not look up from his brush for several days, or, on the contrary, he would not touch it for days. Sometimes, right in broad daylight, he would drop everything and run to his work to make just one brush stroke. Art historians find several explanations for this. Firstly, the artist decided to choose new look paintings - not with tempera, but with oil paints. This made it possible to constantly make additions and correct images. Secondly, the constant refinement of the plot of the meal allowed the artist to once again endow the characters of “The Last Supper” with associative secrets. Description of comparisons of the apostles with real characters, Leonardo's contemporaries, today can be found in any art historical reference book.

Search for prototypes and inspiration

Taking daily walks in different quarters of the city, among merchants, the poor and even criminals, the artist peered into the faces, trying to find features that could be endowed with his characters. He could be found in a variety of taverns, sitting in the company of the poor and telling them his entertaining stories. He was interested in human emotions. As soon as he caught something interesting for himself, he immediately sketched it. History has managed to preserve some of the artist’s preparatory sketches for posterity.

Leonardo looked for inspiration and images for his future masterpiece not only among the faces on the streets of Milan, but also among his surroundings. His “employer” Sforza, who appeared in “The Last Supper” in the guise of Judas, was no exception. The legend says that the reason for this decision was the banal jealousy of the artist, who was secretly in love with the duke's favorite. Only a brave artist could make such a choice. “The Last Supper” has not only secret prototype codes, but also a unique lighting solution.

The picturesque light falling from the painted windows becomes truly realistic in combination with the frescoes from the window located on the adjacent wall. But today this effect cannot be observed, since the window on the wall is completely darkened in order to preserve the masterpiece.

The influence of time and the preservation of a masterpiece

Time quickly proved the wrong choice of painting technique. It only took two years for the artist to see his work greatly changed. The painting turned out to be short-lived. Leonardo da Vinci begins to carry out the first restoration of the fresco, but only after 10 years. He also involved his students in restoration work.

For 350 years, the place where Leonardo da Vinci's Last Supper is located has undergone many reconstructions and alterations. An additional door, cut into the refectory by the monks in 1600, severely damaged the fresco, and by the 20th century, Jesus’ feet were completely erased.

Before World War II, the fresco was restored eight times. With each restoration work, new layers of paint were applied, and gradually the original was greatly distorted. Difficult work lay ahead for art historians to determine Leonardo da Vinci's original idea. The artist’s paintings, drawings, and anatomical notes are kept in many museums around the world, but Milan is rightfully considered the owner of the only fully completed large-scale work by the artist.

The titanic work of modern restorers

In the 20th century, work on the restoration of the “Last Supper” was carried out using modern technologies. Gradually, layer by layer, restoration artists removed centuries-old dust and mold from the masterpiece.

Unfortunately, today it is recognized that only 2/3 of the original fresco remains, and half of the paints originally used by the artist are irretrievably lost. To prevent subsequent destruction of the fresco, today uniform humidity and air temperature are maintained in the refectory of the Church of Santa Maria delle Grazie.

The last one lasted 21 years. In May 1999, the world again saw the work of Leonardo da Vinci “The Last Supper”. Milan organized grandiose celebrations for spectators on the occasion of the unveiling of the fresco.