Not more than fifty years after the painting was completed, and while Leonardo was still alive, the painting began to fade. The decay began with peeling paint. Leonardo had chosen not to work in the traditional medium of fresco, that is, painting directly on the freshly plastered wall. Leonardo da Vinci's painting is a masterpiece of iconic religious art. The painting is a study in geometric symmetry. Jesus' gesture is symbolic on several levels. 6 pgs, bibliography lists 5 sources.
