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Hungarian researcher may have found the real location behind Leonardo da Vinci’s Last Supper
According to Hungarian researcher Gábor Spielmann, it is possible that Leonardo da Vinci based The Last Supper on a real monastery dining hall that still exists today. The hypothesis could shed new light on one of the most debated aspects of the world-famous painting.
Leonardo da Vinci’s The Last Supper has been one of the most extensively analyzed works in art history for centuries. Painted on the wall of the Santa Maria delle Grazie monastery in Milan, the fresco was long believed to depict an entirely imagined architectural space. This is why the question of whether the background represents a purely fictional setting or was inspired by a real location has become increasingly significant.
A familiar Italian monastery
Spielmann, an independent Hungarian researcher, noticed the San Calocero Monastery during a trip to northern Italy, after encountering an article in the Italian press suggesting a possible link between the monastery’s refectory and the spatial composition of The Last Supper. The building is over a thousand years old and once served as an important religious center in the region.
The monastery’s refectory—the dining hall used by monks—particularly caught Spielmann’s attention. The proportions of the room, the placement of the windows, and the depth of the space closely resemble the hall depicted by Leonardo in The Last Supper.
“Upon entering the second-floor room, it immediately becomes apparent how closely its dimensions match the proportions seen in the painting. Three windows at the back, a coffered ceiling, and side walls divided into three sections. Leonardo suggested additional spaces behind the columns to avoid a cramped feeling. He only reduced the size of the windows and balcony doorway—removing the slight arches—and enlarged the wall surface above them to further enhance the sense of spatial depth,” wrote Index.
Spielmann also identified other similarities, including the Lombard landscape visible through the windows. The shape of the surrounding hills and the lines of the background closely resemble the scenery depicted behind the figures in the painting.
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Da Vinci may have visited the area
The hypothesis appears plausible given that Leonardo da Vinci is known to have spent considerable time in Lombardy. In addition to his work as a painter, he was active in the region as an engineer, producing designs related to bridges, water systems, and fortifications.
It is therefore possible that Leonardo saw the San Calocero Monastery during his travels, and that the spatial experience of the refectory—whether consciously or as a visual memory—later influenced one of his most famous works.
According to Index, the theory has also been supported by Italian experts. Historian Carlo Castagna, president of the Friends of San Pietro association, which oversees the building, as well as Claudio Butti, director of the Casa del Cieco, agree that Leonardo must have been familiar with the area.
What could this mean for interpreting The Last Supper?
Spielmann emphasizes that his theory does not suggest Leonardo created a direct replica of the San Calocero refectory. Rather, a real, known space may have served as a point of departure for the composition.
This perspective raises new questions about the spatial design of The Last Supper. If Leonardo indeed worked from a specific refectory, it could help explain the painting’s unusual perspective and proportions—features that have intrigued art historians for decades.
While the similarities alone do not provide definitive proof, they are sufficient for the San Calocero Monastery to be considered a serious candidate within scholarly discussion. Should further research confirm these connections, the Lombard site could become an important reference point in future interpretations of one of Leonardo da Vinci’s most iconic works.
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