Describe a Painting or Work of Art Cue Card

Where you saw it?

It was a late 15th-century fresco painting known as "The Last Supper" that was created by the renowned Italian artist Leonardo Da Vinci. Leonardo painted it on the refectory wall of the Santa Maria Delle Grazie Convent in Milan, Italy (a church in Italy). The painting quality has declined since the 1400s, when it was first painted. In 1999, after one final attempt at restoration, the painting was returned to its original state.

What it looked like?

However, it was argued that the artwork didn't retain the original hues or tones. First, the fact that the picture was created in the 1400s and that numerous attempts had been made to restore it even after it had deteriorated, sparked my interest in it. Getting the church tickets was quite difficult, but I managed to do it. The artwork spanned a portion of the church's end wall and was roughly 460 cm by 880 cm in size. The fact that this painting depicts Jesus' last supper with his 12 apostles left a lasting impression on me. It also showed how his apostles reacted when Jesus revealed that one of them would betray him.

Explain why you like it.

Every apostle reacts in the artwork in varying degrees of fury and shock. The way Leonardo painted this picture was another eye-catching aspect of it. He chose oil painting rather than using water-soluble paints to paint it on wet plaster. The church had a long line of people waiting to see the painting, and each person could only view it for 10 to 15 minutes. The painting masterfully captures each apostle's response, which is otherwise difficult to capture, thanks to its gorgeous colour palette and tonnes of paint. I'll never forget this bizarre experience in my life.

Where you saw it?

It was around 2 years ago when I saw this painting in the Louvre Museum, Paris. It was painted by the famous Leonardo Da Vinci in the 16th century. It is a half-body portrait of a lady with a backdrop of a distant landscape. The painting is about 30 inches 21 inches. A striking feature of this painting is Mona Lisa’s eyes and her smile. It is believed by some that they are being watched by Mona Lisa wherever they are standing.

What it looked like?

Some also believe the enigmatic smile was captured by the painter who continuously worked to keep this joyful attitude while painting. This painting encompasses several speculations and debates and has been talked about several times. What intrigues everyone about the “Mona Lisa” is her smile and the various techniques used by Leonardo to paint it. An emotional recognition software was used on the painting which depicted that she was 83% happy, 9% disgusted, 6% fearful, and 2% angry. Some were also curious to know who the lady in the painting was. Some believed that she was the third wife of a nobleman.

Explain why you like it.

The painting was also stolen in the year 1911 by an Italian Vincenzo Peruggia. It was acquired by King Francis, but later became a property of the French government. Thus, this painting is striking for a plethora of reasons. Even though I am not a fan of art, I still remember this beautiful piece of art. Its myriad controversies have piqued my interest in a historic piece of artwork from around the globe.

Where you saw it?

I accompanied him, as I always wanted to visit Paris. I don’t know much about art, but I certainly love the backstories that lead up to them. Now we had no plans to visit the Vatican City, but as my dad was an enthusiastic art-lover, we decided to travel to Rome and extend the trip. My dad wanted to see the painting on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. So we booked the tickets online and started our journey. I can still remember, like it was yesterday, this wonderful piece of art.

What it looked like?

It was a fresco painting called the Creation of Adam painted by a French painter Michelangelo. It was painted between the years 1508-1512. What intrigued me was first, the excellent colour pallets used by the painter, the fine strokes, and its a back story. It depicts the creation of the first man Adam. The painting is spread across 500 square metres across the ceiling and contains over 200 figures. Some say that Michelangelo was called by Pope Julius II, to create the pope’s tomb and paint the 12 apostles. However, he decided to paint the ceiling of the Chapel with the nine episodes from the Book of Genesis.

Explain why you like it.

Now, the painting has a symbolic meaning. Adam is waiting to receive his gift of life from God. The other figures in the painting, however, are known to represent Adam’s offspring. The hands of God and Adam in the painting do not touch which symbolises the gap between God and man. It was breathtaking to see the precision that the painting had captured. I am clueless about symbolism, but as my dad explained the hidden meaning behind it, I was inspired to look around for more such masterpieces.