I found it fascinating that a practical interest in hot meals resulted in a large section of the famous painting of the “Last Supper” by Leonardo Da Vinci being destroyed.

I’ve been sharing observations of Italy after wife Gladys and I traveled there recently to celebrate our 30th anniversary and visit relatives:

• In Milan, in the Convent of Santa Maria delle Grazie, we saw the famous “Last Supper” by Da Vinci, made all that more famous by the book and movie of a few years ago, “The Da Vinci Code” by Dan Brown.

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It’s actually painted on a wall of the old convent, though we learned it is technically not a fresco like most wall paintings of that era.

Da Vinci reportedly used experimental paints on dry plaster, where frescos use paints mixed with wet plaster. And we were told Da Vinci painted some sections over several times until he got just the effect and look he wanted, good for art but not for standing the test of time.

As a result of his using such techniques, the painting is very faded and has not held up as well as traditional frescos from similar periods.

You’ve got to wonder if there was a bit of heavenly intervention, as during World War II, three walls of the building housing the Last Supper were destroyed by bombings, but the wall with the famed painting was left standing.

Now the building has been restored. The famous painting is kept in low light and in a special air-controlled environment in an effort to keep the painting from deteriorating further. There were air locks our group passed through, gathering in one room where the door behind us would close and then a few moments later the door ahead would open to allow us to proceed.

The original painting was done between 1496 and 1498, just a few years after Columbus set sail and found America. The painting was said to be famous as soon as it was completed, and many other painters made copies of it.

It’s a good thing they did because in the 1600s, someone decided they needed a door into the next room and cut a doorway that took a chunk out of this world-famous painting, taking a big rectangle out including Christ’s and some of the other disciple’s feet, and the symbolism Da Vinci supposedly intended when portraying them in a specific manner.

We know what the original showed, because of the copies made shortly after the original.

Our guide said it was thought the room next door was a kitchen and the residents of the day valued having their food served hot more than leaving this famous Da Vinci painting unmarred.

Even with the doorway cut into it, it was a real thrill to view in person this painting about which I’d seen and read so much over so many years.

• An informal eyeball survey of gas prices in areas we visited had gasoline selling for more than $4 U.S. everywhere we went. We were told that many cars and trucks were fueled now by a cleaner-burning diesel instead of regular gasoline.

WILL CHAPMAN is publisher of The Daily Iberian.