Steinberg and the Attention to Detail

... Part One: Steinberg and the Attention to Detail Original to the point of provocation, veteran art historian Leo Steinberg, a professor emeritus at the University of Pennsylvania, has long been a legendary figure in his field. Leo Steinberg's "Leonardo's Incessant Last Supper" serves to further inspect and investigate one of the most universally recognized paintings in the world. While first glance shows Jesus simply and modestly at the center of a dining table, flanked by six disciples on either side, upon further inspection of details there is much disagreement and controversy. In his studies, Steinberg strategically attempts to answer various debates on what exactly is represented, what the depicted actions express, and how and where the assembly is seated. Leo Steinberg's intricate and well thought-out book serves to dismiss all of the debates through his method of careful investigation of each detail presented. "The Last Supper" was a mural painted

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