Three lunettes above The Last Supper
Tempera on gesso wall; lunette base size: 335 cm (middle), 225 cm (left and right); by Leonardo da Vinci, 1495–97
Convent of Santa Maria della Grazie, Milan

The three lunettes are situated directly above his da Vinci's Last Supper, which they predate. They utilise a more traditional approach compared to Leonardo's groundbreaking techniques employed in the main mural. Each section conforms to the architectural feature of a lunette, a curved wall formed by the vault of the refectory's ceiling. The lunettes depict the coats of arms of the Sforza family. The central lunette display combined coat of arms, featuring the heraldic elements of Ludovico Sforza, Duke of Milan, and his wife Beatrice d'Este, intertwined, which signifies their marital union. The flanking lunettes, on the other hand, display individual coats of arms. The left lunette depicts the coat of arms belonging to Massimiliano Sforza, Ludovico's eldest son and heir apparent. The right lunette features the coat of arms of Francesco II Sforza, Massimiliano's younger brother. While the specific techniques used in this work are debated, scholars believe they involve a combination of tempera and oil paints applied directly onto the plaster surface. Unfortunately, they have not fared well as the Last Supper itself, suffering from deterioration and damage over the centuries.