The Last Supper Auction History

1495–1498: Commissioned by Ludovico Sforza for the Dominican refectory of Santa Maria delle Grazie in Milan, Leonardo executed The Last Supper directly on the north wall using an experimental tempera/oil a secco technique that soon proved fragile [1][2].

Napoleonic era: The Dominican convent was suppressed in 1799; archival sources register concern for the mural during this transition to state oversight [4]. In 1821, Stefano Barezzi attempted to detach the painting, causing damage before the a secco method was recognized [6].

20th century to present: Conservation milestones include Luigi Cavenaghi’s study and work (culminating 1908) [2], Mauro Pelliccioli’s campaigns (1951–1954) [8], and the major restoration led by Pinin Brambilla Barcilon (1978–1999), revealed in 1999 [7]. The complex was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1980 [3]. The mural remains Italian State property, permanently in situ at the Museo del Cenacolo Vinciano; since 3 December 2024, management of the museum has been assigned to the Pinacoteca di Brera within the Ministry of Culture network [5][12][13].

No market transaction exists for this artwork. The Last Supper is an immovable wall painting that forms part of the refectory of Santa Maria delle Grazie in Milan and is protected as Italian State cultural property; under the Italian Cultural Heritage Code (D.Lgs. 42/2004), such State cultural assets are inalienable, which precludes sale or export [11]. The site is also inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List, reinforcing its protected status and public stewardship mandate [3]. Accordingly, there is no auction or private sale history, and any monetary valuation would be hypothetical only.

Relevance to Leonardo’s market. Although The Last Supper is foundational to Leonardo’s historical reputation and public visibility, its market significance is indirect: it shapes scholarship, museum attendance, and cultural discourse rather than prices. The modern market benchmark for Leonardo is the sale of the transportable panel Salvator Mundi at Christie’s New York in 2017 for $450,312,500 with fees, a record for any artwork at auction [9]. For works on paper, the drawing Head of a Bear achieved £8,857,500 at Christie’s London in 2021, setting a category record for a Leonardo drawing at that time [10]. These comparables underscore that pricing in Leonardo’s market pertains to movable panels and autograph drawings with tradable title, not to site-specific murals like The Last Supper.

Collector takeaway. The Last Supper’s influence is pervasive, but it lives outside the market. Collectors and institutions engage with Leonardo through authenticated panels, drawings, studio works, or historical copies; conservation history and UNESCO status drive scholarly and public interest, not transactions [3][11].