Italy Day 8: Milan-The Last Supper

As we took to the streets, we noticed there were quite a few guys (mostly Africans?) trying to put 'good-luck' friendship bands (made of coloured threads) on tourists or passersby or corn kernels in your hand to feed the pigeons.. it's not for free though! We had earlier booked a city tour and got on the that bus drove us out from Piazza Cairoli.. past various landmarks.. like the ancient walls from the 12th century (Milan was a fortress).. the Church of St. Lawrence.. and AC Milan's head office.

First stop, Teatro alla Scala (Scala Theatre).. built in the 19th century and staged great maestros.. composers.. musicians.. dancers.. and prima donnas.. like Giuseppe Verdi.. Giacomo Puccini.. Isabella Rossini.. Carvso.. Maria Callas.. Rosina Storchio (who was the first Madame Butterfly).. and Rudolf Nureyev.



Next we dropped by the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II that boasts of a 6-star hotel.. complete with your personal driver AND butler.. high-end boutiques.. the famous bull in the central mosaic (you're supposed to step and rub on the 'genitals' which explains the hole in the ground).. and even the McDonald's signage was emblazoned in gold! We emerged into Piazza Duomo (with a statue of the king of Italy stands in the middle) and proceeded to the Duomo Church (nicknamed the 'unfinished' church because the project started in 1386 and last additions were made in the 1950s). So, if you're a procrastinator or have many unfinished business.. the locals will jokingly call you a 'DUOMO'!!!



Then the bus took us to the Castello Sforzesco, one of the most important castle built during the Renaissance period in the 15th century (except for the new fountain at the entrance).. the forbidding walls and towers weren't particularly inviting.. and the stairways were built such that the king could ride his horse to the upper floors!




The tour ended with the viewing of the 'The Last Supper' at the Santa Maria della Grazie Church.. that was painted by Leonardo Da Vinci on the back wall of the dining hall where the monks had their meals. They limit the number of daily visitors and only 25 people were allowed into the hall at a time and stay for 15 mins. We had to go through several doors into different chambers that were specially designed to keep the humidity (which could accelerate deterioration) level under control.. as many of the colours and outlines were already faded and blurred.

The Last Supper focused on the portrayal of the disciples' reaction when Jesus revealed that one of them would betray him. All twelve showed different emotional responses with various degrees of shock and anger. Da Vinci also created 'perspective' when he drew the walls.. windows and ceiling of the room. From left to right:

• Bartholomew, James son of Alphaeus and Andrew form a group of three: They are all surprised
• Judas Iscariot, Peter and John form the next group of three: Judas is in the shadows and looks rather withdrawn and taken aback. He is clutching a small bag, perhaps signifying the silver given to him as payment to betray Jesus or perhaps a reference to his role as treasurer. He is the only person to have his elbow on the table. Peter looks angry and is holding a knife pointed away from Christ, perhaps foreshadowing his violent reaction in Gethsemane during Jesus' arrest. The youngest apostle, John, appears to swoon.
• Jesus at the centre
  
• Thomas, James the Greater and Philip are the next group of three. Thomas is clearly upset, James looks stunned with his arms in the air, while Philip appears to be requesting some explanation
• Matthew, Jude and Simon the Zealot are in the final group of three: The two of them are turned towards Simon, wondering if he has the answer to their questions
  

Then we ventured on our own to view Tiziano Vecellio's Donna allo Specchio (Woman To The Mirror) at the Palazzo Marino. I realised that many other great Italian artists like Jacopo Tintoretto.. Giovanni Bellini.. prefered painting buxom and amply endowed women? Were they considered beautiful or maybe they were the one who could AFFORD to pay for them? If only I were born in that era.. *SIGH*.. or maybe I will just put my hopes on Fernando Botero to revive that whole idea? Ha ha!

Jared really wanted a football jersey.. so we succumbed to his request and bought him a black and red Ronaldinho one (nope.. not from the fans merchandise store). On the way back to the hotel, we tried to appreciate the 1 million € 'Needle With Thread' sculpture outside the Cardona train station.. and on the way back to the hotel, we finally sighted a Ferrari (an older model) in Italy! Are we mistaken to think these are more common sight in Singapore??!