Leonardo da Vinci's "The Last Supper”
Dan Brown's error in The Da Vinci Code is that he calls the Last Supper a FRESCO. This painting is not a fresco. Normally, the way a painting like this would have been done would be a "fresco". That means that the plaster is made wet, and then the painting is done on the wet plaster. Leonardo wanted to experiment with a new style he had invented - tempera (egg yolk and vinegar) plus oil painting ON dry plaster.
“The Last Supper” is Leonardo da Vinci’s portrayal of the moment of his announcement of the one who would betray Him as you can see the astonished looks on the faces of the disciples. Peter can be seen bending over to ask John to ask Jesus whom He was talking about (John 13:21-24). Brash Peter holds a knife to represent his usual response and there is a study sketch Leonardo made for Peter’s right arm that supports this. It contains no hidden codes or truth about the “holy grail.” Leonardo’s own personal notes about the painting identify the person sitting on Jesus’ right as John the disciple. The Bible also identifies this disciple as John (John 13:21-25). In this period of art history young men who were students of a master were portrayed with feminine characteristics but this in no way was intended to communicate that they were women or homosexual. Portrayals of the Last Supper by other artists of the same period also show a beardless John sitting right next to Jesus. Florentine artists of the time traditionally depicted the disciple John in this way.
If you examine the “Last Supper” you will notice that there are 13 cups, one for each disciple and one for Jesus. There is no missing chalice. It would not be historically accurate for the lifestyle and income of Jesus and His disciples to have a jewel encrusted gold chalice sitting on the table at the last supper.
In “The Da Vinci Code,” Teabing treats the painting of The Last Supper as if it were a photograph of the actual event, as though Leonardo had been there and knew every detail of the historical event itself. It is an artistic interpretation painted more than a thousand years later.