Computer analyst discovers new images in "Last Supper"

[lovuian]

http://english.pravda.ru/news/society/25-07-2007/95282-vinci_images-0

One of the world's best-loved religious paintings “The Last Supper” of Leonardo Da Vinci appeared to include new images, computer analyst claimed Wednesday.



But some experts were skeptical, dismissing the claim as another spin-off of Dan Brown's best-selling novel "The Da Vinci Code."

Slavisa Pesci claims to have discovered new images in the 15th mural in the dining hall of Milan's Santa Maria delle Grazie church by superimposing a reverse image on the original image.

When doing so, Pesci said he observed, for example, that the two figures on either end of the long table appear to become knights, and that another figure appears to be holding an infant.
more...
Very Interesting

[The_Casual_Observer]

1. I saw where Paul is dead.

[dorkulon]

4. Miss him, miss him. ;-) nt

[Az]

2. Would be nice if someone had a link to the pic

All the pics I saw were too small to make out any detail.

[pschoeb]

12. There doesn't seem to be one at all

The lone photo comes from the AP, and in this one he is only holding up two copies of the Last Super, not any new composite. This has to be one of the lamest stories, as the guy didn't even do any computer analysis or anything, just threw a reversed transparency on top. Just because a guy holds a press conference, doesn't mean anybody has to run his lame story, especially when he doesn't even show them the picture.

see photo
http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070725/NEWS07/70725061/1001

[Az]

15. The thought that kept occuring to me was

Does he think Da Vinci had a computer?

[Beelzebud]

19. He had an analog computer with a very early alpha version of Photoshop.

:D

[Swamp Rat]

3. Just wait until they get around to looking at Hieronymus Bosch!!

:D

[RaleighNCDUer]

5. Isn't that Heironymos Bush? nt

[Swamp Rat]

6. For me to know and them to find out.

:D

[Dogmudgeon]

7. That's a classic

I know it isn't dignified for an old fart like me to say it, but -- fuckin' awesome!

Is there a larger version available?

--p!

[IDemo]

8. Headline: "Grilled cheese sandwich worshippers flock to Last Supper painting"

"There's a grilled cheese sandwich plainly visible on Christ's forehead! It's a miracle!"

[me b zola]

16. E-Bay bids begin @ $2.00

[orleans]

9. they had chicken instead of fish? n/t

[pinniped]

10. I see maize.

.

[LongTomH]

11. Somehow this reminds me...................

of the people who 'computer-enhanced' the famed, Face-on-Mars image until it resembled one Moses Horowitz (AKA Moe Howard of the immortal Three Stooges). This of course, proved that the Martians are, or were, truly intelligent because they recognized Moe Howard as a Divine Being.

Actually, the Face on Mars is just a plateau when imaged at high resolution. Moe Howard, however, IS a Being Being. ;-)

[Boo Boo]

13. OMG!!! It's true!

[SoCalDem]

14. I knew it.. Dogs playing poker in the foreground..!

[DemBones DemBones]

17. A big problem with this "discovery" is that

Leonardo was prone to experimentation with materials and as a result "The Last Supper" had disintegrated within 50 years after Leonardo died.

Then it was painted over twice in the 18th century.

Then Napoleon's men did some damage to it in the 19th century. ("Jean-Louis fus ici.")

Next the monks cut out a door in the bottom of the fresco! (It probably looked so bad they didn't see any reason not to put a door through it.

So when it was restored, there was a lot that had to be done, starting with removing all that had been done by someone other than Leonardo and his assistants. Although some of the original paint was left, I think they had to add a great deal. Fresco is tempera paint painted on wet plaster and Leonardo didn't follow the usual formulas. They did have drawings that Leonardo had done in preparation but I don't know how much they helped. I know he drew Judas on the opposite side of the table in one, which is traditional. It was radical that he put the traitor in among the others.

Even after restoration, it's pretty fuzzy. Check it out (use the Image Viewer to enlarge the thumbnail):

.html

Now check out a well-preserved fresco, "Noli Me Tangere" by Fra Angelico, which was done before 1430.
(Leonardo's "Last Supper" was finished in 1498.)

.html

and here's an "Annunciation" in oil and tempera on panel by Leonardo, c. 1472-75.

.html

I suppose the "Last Supper" originally had the sort of detail seen in the "Annunciation" because it wowed everyone at the time. Of course, it's still very famous but it's a shadow of what it once was. If he'd only listened to his friends who told him not to put gelato in the tempera. . . :hippie:

[Beelzebud]

18. Pravda.... 'nuff said.