Leonardo da Vinci is one of the most well-known artists of the Italian Renaissance. One of his most famous works is The Last Supper, a depiction of the final meal between Jesus Christ and his disciples before he was crucified. Da Vinci painted the masterpiece from 1494 to the beginning of 1498. He made over 30 versions of the work before completing the final version. His life is the subject of a new film, Da Vinci, from writer and producer Harrison Powell. As part of the film’s efforts to connect with fans, Powell is helping create a 1-million-person photo mosaic of the artist’s The Last Supper. View this post on Instagram “The response has been incredibly encouraging. So far, more than 113,233 people across 141 countries have joined, with over 17,203 coming through people sharing it with their friends and family,” Powell told Upworthy. “People continue to discover the project every day.” (Add your photo to the mosaic here.) Story behind The Last Supper mosaic Powell was inspired by da Vinci himself to recreate The Last Supper as a mosaic made from photo tiles submitted by fans. “The idea came from researching Leonardo da Vinci and realizing that one of the greatest creative minds in history struggled with something many of us still face today: finishing what we start,” Powell said. He added that da Vinci struggled to finish projects and that, although he was a genius, he “wrestled with doubt, distraction, and perfectionism just like the rest of us.” That’s when the idea came to him. “As we were developing the film, we started asking ourselves how people today could connect personally to that idea. The answer became The Da Vinci Mosaic,” he said. “We transformed The Last Supper into one million digital tiles and invited people to claim one as a public declaration to be part of global digital mosaic. What began as a marketing idea for the film evolved into something much bigger a global participation project centered around creativity, accountability, and perseverance.” The mosaic is being assembled digitally as tiles are claimed, gradually revealing the complete image over time and creating a participatory experience for people all over the world. “For hundreds of years, people have admired The Last Supper from a distance. This project gives people a chance to step inside the story and help reveal it together,” said Powell. “At a time when so much online activity feels isolating or disposable, it’s exciting to watch people around the world contribute to a shared creative experience that continues to grow every day.” Leonardo da Vinci’s life Powell’s film is taking a new approach to the artist’s life. “We often focus on his brilliance, but what interests me most is his humanity,” Powell said. “He struggled. He doubted himself. He procrastinated. He abandoned projects. He worried he wasn’t doing enough.” Da Vinci was born in 1452 in Italy, where, besides being a painter (his other most famous work is Mona Lisa), he was an architect, sculptor, draftsman and engineer. The definition of a “Renaissance man.” He was also human, and Powell hopes viewers will be able to see that side of him despite his genius. “The takeaway isn’t that we should all become da Vinci,” he said. “It’s that even one of history’s greatest artists had to fight through the same fears and obstacles many of us face today. Great work isn’t created because someone is perfect. It’s created because they keep going.” The post Over 113,233 people worldwide recreate Leonardo da Vinci’s ‘The Last Supper’ in a photo mosaic appeared first on Upworthy.