Halfway through her journey to Milan, she was detained for two days due to her nationality. She sent a letter to Count Wilsheck, the Austrian ambassador in the town, who secured her release. The count convinced Vigée Le Brun to travel to Vienna, and she decided to go there after her visit to Milan. The artist received a warm welcome in Milan, with many young men and women from noble families serenading her outside her window, which persuaded the artist to extend her stay in Milan by a few days. It was during this time that she visited the Santa Maria delle Grazie and saw Leonardo Da Vinci's famous Last Supper. Writing of it: I visited the refectory of the monastery known as Santa Maria delle Grazie with its famous Last Supper fresco by Leonardo da Vinci. It is one of the great masterpieces of the Italian school: yet in admiring this nobly portrayed Christ and all the other characters painted with such truth and such feeling, I groaned to see the extent to which this superb painting had been defaced: to begin with it had been covered with plaster, and then repainted in several parts. Nevertheless it was possible to judge what this beautiful work had been like prior to these disasters. for the effect, when viewed from a little distance, was still admirable. Since then I have learnt of a completely different cause of its poor condition. I was told that during the wars with Bonaparte in Italy, the soldiers would amuse themselves by firing musket balls at Leonardo's Last Supper! May these Barbarians be cursed! She also saw various cartoons of Raphael's School of Athens, and various other drawings and sketches by Raphael, Da Vinci and numerous other artists at the Biblioteca Ambrosiana. She visited the Madonna del Monte, enjoying its commanding view, and sketched the countryside frequently.
halfway through her journey to milan she was detained for two days due to her nationality she sent a letter to count wilsheck the austrian ambassador in the town who secured her release the count convinced vigée le brun to travel to vienna and she decided to go there after her visit to milan the artist received a warm welcome in milan with many young men and women from noble families serenading her outside her window which persuaded the artist to extend her stay in milan by a few days it was during this time that she visited the santa maria delle grazie and saw leonardo da vinci's famous last supper writing of it i visited the refectory of the monastery known as santa maria delle grazie with its famous last supper fresco by leonardo da vinci it is one of the great masterpieces of the italian school yet in admiring this nobly portrayed christ and all the other characters painted with such truth and such feeling i groaned to see the extent to which this superb painting had been defaced to begin with it had been covered with plaster and then repainted in several parts nevertheless it was possible to judge what this beautiful work had been like prior to these disasters for the effect when viewed from a little distance was still admirable since then i have learnt of a completely different cause of its poor condition i was told that during the wars with bonaparte in italy the soldiers would amuse themselves by firing musket balls at leonardo's last supper may these barbarians be cursed she also saw various cartoons of raphael's school of athens and various other drawings and sketches by raphael da vinci and numerous other artists at the biblioteca ambrosiana she visited the madonna del monte enjoying its commanding view and sketched the countryside frequently