In 1495, Duke Ludovico of Milan asked the Florentine artist Leonardo DaVinci to portray the dramatic scene of Jesus last supper with His disciples as they gathered in the Upper Room before His crucifixion. The scene was to be painted upon a large wall of the dining room at Santa Maria delle Graazie monastery in Milan. DaVinci, then 43 years old and already famous as a painter, sculptor and architect, agreed to take on the assignment.
Working slowly and with great care for detail, he spent three years completing the painting. The disciples were grouped in threes, two groups on either side of the figure of Christ, who sat at the centre of the table, His arms stretched before Him. In His right hand He held a wine cup, painted with marvellous realism. At last the painting was ready, and DaVinci called a friend to see it. "Give me your honest opinion, " DaVinci said.
"It's wonderful," the friend told him in open admiration. "The cup is so real I cannot keep my eyes off it."
Instantly DaVinci immediately took a brush and drew it across the sparkling cup. "If it affects you that way, it must not remain," he exclaimed. "Nothing shall distract attention from the figure of Christ."
Today, 500 years later both the beauty of his painting and the truth of his statement remain. At this Easter season, will anything take your eyes off Christ and the real meaning of His death and resurrection?
Turn your eyes upon Jesus,
Look full in His wonderful face,
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim
In the light of His glory and grace.
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