A Late Work by Barocci

Between the years I603 and I607 Federigo Barocci painted his version of the Last Supper for the chapel of the Sacrament in the cathedral of Urbino. The painting remained there until 1789, when the cathedral was partially destroyed by an earthquake and extensive repairs became necessary. The Last Supper was then taken out of the chapel, and, besides the usual damage from exposure to oil lamps and incense, moss and other ruinous growths were discovered. The decision was made to have the picture ripulito, and according to Lazzari, writing during the time of reconstruction, the cleaning was done by the painter Michele Dolci. All subsequent studies of the painting have been based on the completely repainted version. Most critics have maintained that the Last Supper gives evidence of the aging Barocci's decline in artistic imagination, that it is cluttered with detail and oppressively ecstatic; very few have defended the painting against these criticisms (see references at the end of this article). In 1952 the Last Supper was once more removed from its place, by the Soprintendenza alle Gallerie delle Marche, Urbino,1 and was thoroughly and expertly cleaned and, wherever possible, restored to its original state. It is now back on the north wall of the chapel, where, in spite of still unsatisfactory lighting, it can be seen more clearly than at any time during the three and a half centuries since it was painted. The recent cleaning has revealed painterly qualities completely hidden before and details that make it necessary to reinterpret the dramatic quality of its arrangement. The preliminary ideas for the composition are gathered together in a wash and tempera preparatory sketch (Uffizi, no. 819; see p. 268), 1 The cleaning was suggested by Dr. Arduino Colasanti and carried out under the direction of Dr. Giuseppe Marchini, Soprintendente. which contains all the salient elements of the