The Sforza dynasty ruled Milan during the painting of The Last Supper.
Leonardo da Vinci worked on the mural from about 1495 to 1498, during the rule of Ludovico Sforza, known as Ludovico il Moro. He commissioned the work for the Dominican convent of Santa Maria delle Grazie in Milan, where it decorated the refectory wall. The project formed part of Sforza-sponsored renovations that helped promote the family’s power and religious patronage.
The Sforzas had taken control of Milan in the mid-15th century after Francesco Sforza became duke in 1450. They followed the Visconti dynasty, which explains a common mix-up: the Viscontis ruled Milan before the Sforzas, while the Medici were primarily associated with Florence. Beatrice d’Este, Ludovico’s wife, also appears with him and their children in a related donor image in the convent.