da Vinci’s iconic painting (photo 2) on the refettorio (dining hall) wall of Santa Maria delle Grazie in Milan is a fitting subject given today’s date in Christian liturgy. What few know however, is “Something there is that does not love a wall” has never been more true than in this case. A time-line:

1498 – da Vinci paints it on dry intonaco (plaster) instead of affresco (painting on intonaco fresco, wet plaster). Pretty dumb for a smart guy like him. This alone guarantees its rapid deterioration.

1520 – As per script, the painting is already flaking.

1556 – Vasari, our Renaissance proto-art historian, states that the figures are no longer recognizable, the painting is ruined.

1652 – A large doorway is punched through the bottom-center of the painting, later bricked up.

1668 – In order to “protect” the painting a wool covering is hung over it. This traps moisture instead. The wall grows a full “beard” of mold. Binding occurs forming a nice wool-mold-paint-plaster-wall sandwich. When the covering is peeled away . . surprise! . . much plaster and paint comes away with it.

1726 – A certain Bellotti “restores” the painting, filling in missing parts on his own (based on what record?), and then coats the entire thing with varnish to “protect” it. Oops.

1770 – Mazza decides the previous restoration work was no good (you don’t say!), strips off both the varnish (with caustic solvents) and Bellotti’s work, and begins some painting of his own. Fortunately an angry mob chases him away before he can “improve” it any more.

1796 – The refectory is now an armory! French soldiers practice their aim (by throwing stones at it) and their bayonet techniques (how well can we scratch out the apostles eyes?) Change of use, it is turned into a prison.

1821 – In order to move it (?!) to a safer location, an “expert” is brought in to remove the entire fresco from the wall. Halfway through detaching it he . . oops, realizes it isn’t a fresco. Also, the wall buckles in the center, damaging it further. Hmm . . better leave it where it is. Oh, and let’s glue (yes, glue!) all those broken bits that fell off back onto the wall.

Early 1900s – The painting actually receives some true TLC and is cleaned a bit.

1943 – The refectory takes a direct hit from a bomb during WWII.

At this point it is strange anyone bothered, but 20 years of restoration ending in 1999 now allows us to see what is left of it. Incredible that we are able to see so much, quite a miracle we are able to see any.