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Primary sourcePaintingc. 1494

Studies for the Last Supper

Leonardo da Vinci · c. 1494

A sheet of preparatory drawings by Leonardo da Vinci showing studies of the apostles' poses and gestures for his famous Last Supper mural.

Preparatory studies showing how Leonardo developed the figures for his famous Last Supper mural.

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Red chalk drawing on aged paper showing sketched studies of apostles seated at a long table, with several figures in profile and three-quarter view, plus smaller sketches of heads and bodies below. Faint handwritten notes appear at the top and near the lower figures.
Leonardo da Vinci, studies for the Last Supper, c. 1494.

About this source

What it is

This red chalk drawing by Leonardo da Vinci, made around 1494, shows studies of apostles seated at a long table, along with smaller sketches of heads and bodies. It is a preparatory drawing connected to his famous mural of the Last Supper.

Why it matters

Drawings like this show how Leonardo worked out the poses, gestures, and expressions of each apostle before painting the final mural. They reveal his careful planning process and his interest in showing emotion and reaction through body language, something he cared about deeply as an artist.

Look closer

  • What differences do you notice between the smaller sketches and the larger figures?
  • Why might Leonardo have drawn several versions of the same pose before settling on one?
  • What does this drawing tell you about how much planning went into a finished mural?

This painting is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of Leonardo da Vinci on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.

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