The Last Supper characterizes da Vinci’s style and conduct as an artist. When commissioned to paint for churches or personal homes, Leonardo went days or even weeks without putting anything on canvas because he had to think about his work. This deep thought proved one of his greatest weaknesses as an artist. His boundless imagination prevented him from finishing works, because he had too many ideas to make a cohesive image that met his standards. Leonardo never finished Jesus’ face, because he did not believe that he could properly capture the messiah’s grace. Unable to find inspiration for the face of Judas, da Vinci modeled him after the patron church’s prior, who castigated Leonardo for taking too much time to think about the work. Da Vinci believed that the prior exemplified the treachery of Jesus’ apostate.

Leonardo’s attention to detail and individuality among subjects reach an apex in this work, as each apostle’s face captures love, fear, sorrow, and confusion concerning Jesus’ upcoming betrayal. Da Vinci used The Last Supper as an opportunity for experimentation. He examined optics and geometry in addition to dynamics, best exhibited through communication between subjects. Motion, expression, and complexity set The Last Supper apart as a masterpiece of da Vinci, worthy of examination by students of art. Leonardo also experimented with methods of preservation, which obviously proved unsuccessful. Although The Last Supper lost its original vibrancy after centuries of deterioration, it still garners praise for its detail and optical innovation.