Can’t go to Milan to see Leonardo Da Vinci’s masterpiece ‘The Last Supper’? As of Saturday, you don’t have to, and all you need is an internet connection. The photograph can be viewed on the website www.haltadefinizione.com.
On Saturday, a photograph of ‘The Last Supper’ was uploaded to the global network in a resolution of as much as 16 million pixels – 1,600 times greater than what can be achieved with an ordinary ten-pixel camera. The high resolution will allow experts to analyze details of the 15th-century mural that they otherwise could not, including traces of sketches that Leonardo drew before painting the main motif.
The impression will be as if you are standing an inch away from the painting, unlike ordinary photographs that become grainy the more you zoom in, said curator Alberto Artioli. You will even be able to see how transparent the glasses are, as well as the degree of damage to the painting, Artioli added. In addition to providing better insight for experts and art lovers, the project will also provide a historical document of the condition of the painting in 2007, which will benefit future generations of art historians. (H)
