Plautilla Nelli’s masterwork was created in a convent more than 450 years ago
Born to a wealthy family in 1524, Nelli was sent to a convent at the age of 14. Rather than being sites of passive prayer, “convents were centres of creativity and power”, says Ms Falcone. Half of all literate women were sent to them, as many families could afford a dowry only for the eldest daughter. Nelli’s life within the cloistered walls of Santa Caterina di Cafaggio was productive.
Yet Nelli’s “Supper” was her most revolutionary undertaking. Only the best Renaissance artists dared capture the moment when Jesus warned his followers that his death was imminent. The large, dramatic scene demanded ambition, creative verve and technical precision. Painting was prescribed as a way for nuns to ward off sloth, but their scenes were expected to be modest, decorative pieces.
Though the painting has its flaws—shadows do not always fall where they should, the beards are unconvincing, proportions are occasionally askew—it is bold and evocative with its use of thick brushstrokes and jewel-like colours. Nelli also pays close attention to the human details on her holy subjects, such as the cuticles on fingernails and the curl of eyelashes.
For the past few decades Nelli’s pockmarked painting loomed over Santa Maria Novella’s friars in their private quarters. Though the monks were understandably disappointed to see it go, they have been given an exact reproduction; the restored original can now be viewed by Florence’s locals and the millions of tourists who visit the city each year. Nelli never painted a self-portrait, so it is hard to imagine the author of such a compelling piece.
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