coatingthe wall with a compound that he had created. This compound,which was supposed to protect the paint and hold it in place didnot work, and soon after its completion the paint began to flakeaway. For this reason The Last Supper still exists, but in poorcondition. Leonardo had at many times merged his inventive and creativecapabilities to enhance life and improve his works. Although hisexperiments with plastering and painting failed, they showed hisdissatisfaction with an accepted means and his creativity andcourage to experiment with a new and untried idea.Experimentation with traditional techniques is evident in hisdrawings as well. During Leonardo's 18 year stay in Milan he also producedother paintings and drawings, but most have been lost. He createdstage designs for theater, architectural drawings, and models forthe dome of Milan Cathedral. Leonardo also began to producescientific drawings, especially of the human body. He studiedanatomy by dissecting human corpses and the bodies of animals.Leonardo's drawings did not only clarify the appearance of bones,tendons, and other body parts but their function in addition. Thesedrawings are considered to be the first accurate representations ofhuman anatomy. Leonardo is also credited with the first use of thecross section, a popular technique for diagramming the humanbody. Leonardo wrote, "The painter who has acquired a knowledgeof the nature of the sinews, muscles, and tendons will knowexactly in the movement of any limb how many and which of thesinews are the cause of it, and which muscle by its swelling is thecause of this sinew's contracting" . In December, 1499, the Sforzafamily was driven out of Milan by French forces and Leonardowas forced to leave Milan and his unfinished statue of LudovicoSforza's father, which was destroyed by French archers that used itfor target practice. Leonardo then returned to Florence in 1500. When Leonardo returned to...
