had long wished to establish.
It was called the "Academia Leonardi Vinci," and had for its purpose the
bringing together of distinguished artists and men of letters. Leonardo
was appointed superintendent of all the fetes and entertainments given by
the court, and in this department he did some marvellous things. He also
superintended a great work in engineering which he brought to perfection,
to the wonder of all Italy: it was no less an undertaking than bringing
the waters of the Adda from Mortisana to Milan, a distance of nearly two
hundred miles. In spite of all these occupations the artist found time to
study anatomy and to write some valuable works. At length Il Moro became
the established duke, and at his brilliant court Leonardo led a most
agreeable life; but he was so occupied with many things that he painted
comparatively few pictures.

[Illustration: FIG. 36.--THE LAST SUPPER. _By Leonardo da Vinci._]

At length the Duke desired him to paint a picture of the Last Supper on
the wall of the refectory in the Convent of the Madonna delle Grazie. This
was his greatest work in Milan and a wonderful masterpiece. It was
commenced about 1496, and was finished in a very short time. We must now
judge of it from copies and engravings, for it has been so injured as to
give no satisfaction to one who sees it. Some good copies were made before
it was thus ruined, and numerous engravings make it familiar to all the
world. A copy in the Royal Academy, London, was made by one of Leonardo's
pupils, and is the size of the original. It is said that the prior of the
convent complained to the Duke of the length of time the artist was
spending upon this picture; when the Duke questioned the painter he said
that he was greatly troubled to find a face which pleased him for that of
Judas Iscariot; he added that he was willing to allow the prior to sit for
this figure and thus hasten the work; this answer pleased the Duke and
silenced the prior.

After a time misfortunes overtook the Duke, and Leonardo was reduced to
poverty; finally Il Moro was imprisoned; and in 1500 Leonardo returned to
Florence, where he was honorably received. He was not happy here, however,
for he was not the one important artist. He had been absent nineteen
years, and great changes had taken place; Michael Angelo and Raphael were
just becoming famous, and they with other artists welcomed Leonardo, for
his fame had reached them from Milan. However, he painted som