Tourists who visited Milan during the Winter Olympics hoping to see Leonardo da Vinci’s The Last Supper were in for an unwelcome surprise: access to the masterpiece was closed to the public for three and a half days last week.
Painted by the Italian Renaissance master between 1494 and 1498, the revered work is housed within the refectory of Santa Maria delle Grazie, a church and Dominican convent still used by friars. It remains a significant draw for art lovers and devout Catholics alike.