Site Description
The Refectory of San Marco in Florence houses one of Domenico Ghirlandaio’s most refined works, his fresco of The Last Supper, completed in 1486. San Marco itself, a Dominican monastery founded in the early fifteenth century, was deeply associated with Florence’s religious and artistic life, patronized by figures such as Cosimo de’ Medici and home to artists like Fra Angelico. Ghirlandaio’s Last Supper is located in the small refectory, a communal dining hall where the monks would gather for meals accompanied by readings and reflection.
Ghirlandaio approached the traditional theme of the Last Supper with an emphasis on order, clarity, and naturalism. Christ and the apostles are seated at a long table, elegantly arrayed in a shallow, coherent space that echoes the actual proportions of the refectory itself. The fresco’s architecture features a coffered ceiling, pilasters, and a serene garden visible through a set of openings, creating a sense of depth and calm continuity between the painted and real spaces.
Ghirlandaio’s attention to still life details—the transparent glass vessels, the careful rendering of food, the lifelike birds perched in the background—enhances the realism of the scene without distracting from its spiritual solemnity. Judas, separated slightly from the group, is treated with psychological subtlety rather than theatrical exaggeration, underscoring the painter’s gift for nuanced characterization.
This Last Supper fresco is particularly important because it reflects the Dominican ideals of simplicity, clarity, and meditation. Unlike Leonardo da Vinci’s later, highly dramatic version, Ghirlandaio’s scene exudes a contemplative serenity appropriate to a monastic setting. The work invites not only the monks but modern viewers as well into a quiet, structured reflection on the sacred narrative. Ghirlandaio’s fresco at San Marco remains one of the finest and best-preserved examples of the Florentine tradition of refectory Last Suppers, a genre that flourished throughout Tuscany during the Renaissance.
-Written with the help of AI
Credit & Support
With permission from the Ministry of Culture – Regional Directorate of Museums of Tuscany – Florence
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Model Details
Number of Photographs
175
Year Photographed
2022
Camera Type
Sony a7Riv
Artist Biography
Domenico Ghirlandaio (1448-1494) was a leading Florentine painter of the late fifteenth century, celebrated for his detailed narrative fresco cycles and ability to integrate portraits of contemporary figures into sacred contexts. Born Domenico di Tommaso Bigordi, he acquired the nickname "Ghirlandaio" ("garland maker") from his father, a goldsmith who crafted garland-like jewelry. Trained initially in his father’s workshop, Ghirlandaio soon established himself as a painter skilled in both panel and fresco work. His vivid, realistic depictions of Florentine society earned him prestigious commissions, including work in the Tornabuoni Chapel in Santa Maria Novella and the Sistine Chapel in Rome. Ghirlandaio ran one of the largest workshops in Florence, training a number of assistants and apprentices, most notably the young Michelangelo. His art stands out for its clarity, elegance, and the deft way he wove contemporary detail into traditional religious subjects, making him a crucial bridge between early Renaissance styles and the High Renaissance ideals that followed.
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