30.5.12

The Last Supper by Perugino

Perugino’s Last Supper

The Last Supper by Perugino (1493-1496) is a fresco by the Italian Renaissance artist  Pietro Vannucci from Umbria, better known as Pietro Perugino.

Susan and I were exceptionally lucky today find ourselves inside the rarely open Covent of  Fuligno  when we had arrived in good time but on the wrong day!  However the concierge in charge took pity on us and offered to open the Museum especially for us.

What a treat! – an empty Museum in Florence!

The Convent of Fuligno or Franciscan Third Order of St. Onofrio, has had a chequered history – opened in 1419, it had originally housed a number of Franciscan nuns.  Later it became a type of convent school for Florentine girls of noble birth, including the daughter of Lorenzo de’ Medici and of the Lapaccini family.

This Last Supper painting had rarely been seen at all as the inside of the Convent was hidden from the outside world so when it was opened to the public it was greeted with amazement.

The delicate work was originally attributed to Raphael because of a signature found on the painting, indeed as a pupil of Perugino perhaps he did also work on the painting, but it has been re- authenticated recently as definitely the work of Perugino.

Like most of the pre- Leonardo Last Suppers Judas has become isolated from the rest of the group at the front of the table – enabling us to see his discontented expression and bag of 30 pieces of silver.

Judas and his money bag – no yellow and no cat!

Jesus is tenderly caressing the shoulder of the sleeping John/Mary figure whilst giving his blessing to the group and their last meal.

Both of the more elderly disciples, Peter and Andrew, are brandishing their knives in a somewhat threatening manner implying that they would protect Jesus to the death. All of the bare feet under the table are exquisitely painted , complete with dirty soles and toenails and below them all the names are written out so there can be no doubt who was who.

In red in the corner – James brother of Jesus

There can be little doubt about James, brother of Jesus as he looks so like the Jesus Christ in the centre whilst James the younger at the end of the table looks little more than a child.

One of the most impressive things about this museum was the layout of the pre-sketches of most of the key characters in the painting – beautiful graphite images ready to be transferred to the fresco.

Thanks so much to the lady who allowed us to visit this morning – I seem to be living a charmed life this week with generous strangers providing us with car rides to Villa Corsini and La Petraia on Sunday, Closed Museums opening for us today and tonight a delightful impromptu party – always the best!