What Is The Primary Thesis Of Leonardo's Last Supper

Response 1 - Reflections of Leonardo's "Last Supper" The research question that the author is addressing is why Leonardo used certain formal and symbolic equations that was not expected during the Renaissance. Many of his artistic peers before and after him drew the Last Supper scene in a conventional way. For example, some artists portrayed Judas in front of the table with his back facing the viewer. Other artworks show the disciples sitting at a table in an orderly and contained manner. Instead, we get to see them in groups of three with expressive gestures and body movements. The author’s primary thesis is that Leonardo purposefully contradicted nature’s laws and painting conventions to intensify the mural’s spiritual and dramatic impact. The scene of betrayal shown in the painting offered him the best opportunity

The current state of research on the topic is that some scholars have separated the scientific side of Leonardo while others have combined it with his artistic talent. The latter may not be a surprising truth as Leonardo was an inventor as well as an engineer. He was a man of science who promoted growth and innovation more than a man of religion that believed in a single text and the status quo. The author believes that Leonardo’s creativity played a bigger role in popularizing his painting instead of just lumping his science and art skills together. Polzer uses evidence such as Leonardo’s detailed drawings of “futuristic” inventions and drawing observations to say that his works do not correlate with religion and he was not a devout Christian like most of the artists were at the time. Leonardo is more interested with science and nature than religion that tends to create conventional artwork and expected themes. This mindset is reflected in some of his other works, like his Battle of Anghiari