Last week I was in Kolkata, the city which I love for its heritage. In fact I lived there for nearly seven years and the charm of Calcutta grew on me! (I prefer to call it Calcutta and not Kolkata!) I used to take pictures of various things while I was there. This time when I went there from Mumbai, I had a Sunday with me - the entire day to be spent to my liking!
I have read Dan Brown’s ‘The Da Vinci Code’ few years back and was very much convinced by the arguments put forward by him in that novel.
I went to St. John’s church and took some pictures. Since I went there a little late there was no one and the church was open. So I went inside the church to take the picture of ‘Last Supper’ painting which is hanging inside the church. As I wanted I was able to take a good picture and came to my Hotel Hindustan International happily.
This is the restored version of great work of German neo-classical painter Johann Zoffany hanging on the walls of St. John’s church in Kolkata. This painting is believed to have been painted in 1787.
While I was processing my picture I noticed something striking in the picture which was very different from the original Last supper painting of Leonardo Da Vinci’s.
Take a look at both the pictures and I am sure you will notice the difference, especially if you have read Da Vinci Code!
‘The Last Supper’ - original painting of Leonardo Da Vinci.
'The Last Supper' by German neo-classical painter Johann Zoffany which is in St. John’s Church, Calcutta.
Some points which come to my mind:
In this painting the lady is seated to the left side of Jesus, in the original painting she is to the right of Jesus Christ.
Unlike the original painting in which Mary is leaning on to Saint Peter - here she is leaning on the shoulder of Jesus Christ.
This person is definitely a female and not an effeminate man as generally claimed of Apostle John. (Take a look at the close up of this person!)
Jesus and this person are wearing totally different coloured dresses. In the original painting Jesus is in red robe and blue cloak, Mary Magdalene in a blue robe and red cloak, mirror image of each other!
All these points go in favour of Daniel Brown’s The Da Vinci Code?
Finally, I would like to mention here what Sigmund Freud once said about paintings - “The artist should not be held responsible for what subsequently happens to his works”.
The picture of the original painting was taken from:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:DaVinci_LastSupper_high_res_2_nowatmrk.jpg
