REFECTORY — R. of St Clare. On Good Friday the religious take their meal kneeling — Assisi, convent of St Damian.
The r. followed the forms and constructive features of the various periods; however, none remain from before the Gothic period. In this period they initially present an open-timbered roof supported by large pointed arches (Fossanova); later the adoption of ribbed vaulting is seen (S. Galgano), sometimes subdividing the space longitudinally by means of polystyle piers supporting the vaults (Monastery of Maulbronn in Germany). Heating was provided by fireplaces, sometimes of enormous size (abbey of Fountains in Great Britain, abbey of St Martin at Cimino, in which the latter only traces remain on the walls).
Beginning in the 14th century the walls of the r. were covered with frescoes (S. Chiara of Naples, Novacella near Brixen, Pomposa), a practice that became widespread in the Renaissance (convent of S. Marco in Florence, charterhouse of Pavia, Monte Oliveto near Siena and S. Maria delle Grazie in Milan, famous above all for the Last Supper painted by Leonardo, a subject preferred in many other r., as more suited to the setting). Among the 17th-century r., noteworthy is that of the Filippini in Rome, a work — like the rest of the building — by Borromini. In some r., especially those of the Carthusians, there also existed a lectern for reading during meals (charterhouse of Pavia, Galluzzo near Florence). — See pl. XXX.