ART

Work of Art

Work of Art

Mona Lisa

Painter: Leonardo da Vinci

Size :30x20" (77x53cm)

Medium: Oil paint

Date: 1503-1506

Analysis and reason of choosing

Leonardo da Vinci Mona, painting, Lisa at the Louvre in Paris, is arguably the most famous painting in the world. It is probably also the best known example of sfumato, a painting technique partly responsible for his enigmatic smile (Kemp¸2006).

There has been much speculation about who the woman in the painting. Is believed to be a portrait of Lisa Gherardini, wife of a Florentine cloth merchant named Francesco del Giocondo. (The century art writer Vasari 16 was among the first to suggest this, in his Lives of the Artists.) Has also been suggested the reason for his smile was that she was pregnant (Farago¸1999).

You'll have to elbow your way through the crowd to see "in the flesh" and not a reproduction. Is it worth it? I would say "probably" rather than "definitely." I was disappointed the first time I saw him as never really realized how small a painting that was because I'm used to seeing her poster. It is only 30x20 "(77x53cm) in size. Not even have to extend your arms all the way to pick it up.

But having said that, could you really visit the Louvre and not go to him at least once? Just patiently work your way toward the front of the horde of admiring, then take your time looking at the way the colors have been used. Just because it's a familiar picture, does not mean it's not worth spending time with her. Worth doing with a reproduction of the quality as well as more one looks more to see. Only what is in the landscape behind it? How are your eyes looking? How does the painting fabulous curtains? The more you look, the more you see, even though ...