Isabella Flores
The Mona Lisa is a 16th-century half-length portrait painting by the Italian artist Leonardo da Vinci. It is one of the most famous paintings in the world and has been described as the best known, the most visited, the most written about, the most sung about, and the most parodied work of art in the world. The painting's novel qualities include the subject's enigmatic expression, the monumentality of the composition, the subtle modelling of forms, and the atmospheric illusionism. There is much speculation about the identity of the woman depicted in the painting, with the most popular theory being that she is Lisa del Giocondo, an Italian noblewoman. The painting is currently on display at the Louvre Museum in Paris, France.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Artist | Leonardo da Vinci |
| Year painted | Between 1503 and 1519 |
| Medium | Oil on wood |
| Dimensions | 77 x 53 cm (30 x 21 inches) |
| Owner | The Government of France |
| Location | The Louvre Museum, Paris, France |
| Subject | Believed to be Lisa del Giocondo, but this is disputed |
| Alternative names | La Gioconda, La Joconde |
| Technique | Sfumato, aerial perspective |
| Style | Renaissance |
| Theft | Stolen in 1911 by Vincenzo Peruggia, an employee of the Louvre |
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What You'll Learn
The identity of the sitter
This theory was first suggested in 1550 by artist biographer Giorgio Vasari, who wrote that "Leonardo undertook to paint, for Francesco del Giocondo, the portrait of Mona Lisa, his wife." Monna in Italian is a polite form of address, similar to "Ma'am" or "Madam" in English. The Italian name for the painting, La Gioconda, means "happy" or "jovial", and is a pun on the feminine form of Lisa's married name, Giocondo. This is reflected in the sitter's enigmatic expression, which has been described as both "alluring" and "aloof".
However, some scholars have disputed this theory, arguing that Lisa del Giocondo was the subject of a different portrait, and that there are at least four other paintings referred to by Vasari as the Mona Lisa. Other possible identities for the sitter include Isabella of Aragon, Cecilia Gallerani, Costanza d'Avalos, Duchess of Francavilla, and Caterina Sforza.
Another theory is that the painting is a self-portrait of Leonardo himself, as the sitter's facial features bear a resemblance to the artist. Some have suggested that disguising himself as a woman was Leonardo's riddle.
Attempts in the 21st century to settle the debate by testing the DNA of Lisa del Giocondo's remains and recreating an image of her face were inconclusive.
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The painting's history
The Mona Lisa is a half-length portrait painting by the Italian artist Leonardo da Vinci. It is considered an archetypal masterpiece of the Italian Renaissance and is described using adjectives such as "most known", "most visited", "most written about", "most sung about", and "most parodied". The painting is famous for the subject's enigmatic expression, the monumentality of the composition, the subtle modelling of forms, and the atmospheric illusionism.
The painting is thought to have been commissioned for the new home of Florentine silk merchant Francesco del Giocondo, celebrating the birth of his second son, Andrea. The Italian name for the painting, "La Gioconda", means "happy" or "jovial", or literally "the happy one", a pun on the feminine form of Lisa's married name, Giocondo. The identity of the sitter has been a subject of debate, with scholars and historians positing numerous possibilities, including Lisa del Giocondo, the wife of Francesco del Giocondo, Caterina (Leonardo's mother), and Isabella d'Este, among others.
The painting was likely begun in 1503 and remained in Leonardo's studio when he died in 1519. It is believed that Leonardo worked on it intermittently, adding multiple layers of thin oil glazes at different times. Small cracks in the paint, called craquelure, appear throughout the piece, but they are finer on the hands, corresponding to Leonardo's late period.
The painting was owned by French royalty for centuries and was exhibited at the Palace of Versailles during the reign of Louis XIV. It was liberated by Revolutionary forces and briefly adorned Napoleon's bedroom before being installed in the Louvre, where it has been a part of the museum's collection since 1804. The Mona Lisa became popular with the general public when it was stolen in 1911 by Vincenzo Peruggia, an Italian patriot who believed that the painting should be returned to an Italian museum. It was exhibited in the Uffizi Gallery for over two weeks and returned to the Louvre on 4 January 1914. Peruggia served six months in prison and was hailed for his patriotism in Italy.
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The artist's techniques
The artist behind the Mona Lisa, Leonardo da Vinci, was a master of the sfumato technique, which translates as "gone up in smoke". This technique involves applying very thin, nearly transparent layers of oil paint with the fingers over many months to slowly build up a softly focused image. The sfumato technique allowed da Vinci to create imperceptible transitions between light and dark, with the background fading into the distance. This was a deviation from traditional Italian portraiture, which painted the background in the same sharp focus as the central figure.
The painting is also notable for its use of aerial perspective, with the subject depicted before an imaginary landscape. The woman is seated in what appears to be an open loggia, with dark pillar bases on either side. Behind her, a vast landscape recedes to icy mountains, with winding paths and a distant bridge providing only the slightest indications of human presence. The sensuous curves of the woman's hair and clothing, created through sfumato, are echoed in the undulating imaginary valleys and rivers behind her.
The enigmatic expression on the face of the Mona Lisa is another famous aspect of the painting, with the subject's mysterious smile having inspired many writers, singers, and painters. Sigmund Freud, for example, believed that the smile emerged from the artist's memory of his mother's smile. The overall harmony achieved in the painting, with the faint smile of the subject, reflects the idea of a link connecting humanity and nature.
The pose of the subject also deviates from traditional portraits of the time, with the face nearly frontal and the shoulders turned three-quarters toward the viewer, with the hands included in the image. The subject's dark hair and elegant, simple clothing also draw attention to her face. The painting is considered a masterpiece of the Italian Renaissance, with its novel qualities including the monumentality of the composition, the subtle modelling of forms, and the atmospheric illusionism.
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The painting's influence
The Mona Lisa, painted by Leonardo da Vinci, is one of the most famous paintings in the world. It is considered an archetypal masterpiece of the Italian Renaissance and has been described as "the best known, the most visited, the most written about, the most sung about, [and] the most parodied work of art in the world."
Secondly, the Mona Lisa is renowned for its use of Leonardo's sfumato technique, a style of soft, heavily shaded modelling that gives the painting a sense of monumentality and atmospheric illusionism. The sfumato technique, combined with dramatic contrasts of light and dark, creates an overall feeling of calm and harmony in the painting. Leonardo's use of aerial perspective further enhances the sense of depth and three-dimensionality in the landscape behind the subject.
Thirdly, the enigmatic expression on the Mona Lisa's face, often referred to as the "Mona Lisa smile," has captivated viewers for centuries. The smile, along with the subject's enigmatic gaze, has been interpreted as both alluring and aloof, adding to the sense of mystery surrounding the painting. The identity of the subject has been the subject of much speculation, with suggestions ranging from Lisa del Giocondo, the wife of Florentine merchant Francesco di Bartolomeo del Giocondo, to Leonardo's mother, Caterina. This uncertainty has only added to the allure of the painting.
Finally, the Mona Lisa has had a significant cultural impact, influencing literature, film, music, and popular culture. It has been referenced, reproduced, and parodied countless times, becoming a true icon of Western art. The painting's fame was further enhanced by its theft from the Louvre in 1911 and its subsequent tour to the US in 1963, making it a globally recognized symbol of artistic excellence and intrigue.
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The mystery of the Mona Lisa's smile
The Mona Lisa, painted by Leonardo da Vinci, is perhaps the most famous painting in the world. It is certainly the most visited, viewed by millions of people every year at the Louvre Museum in Paris, where it has been a part of the museum's collection since 1804.
The painting is a half-length portrait of a Florentine woman, dressed in the fashion of her day, seated in front of a vast, mountainous landscape. The woman's enigmatic expression, with her subtle smile, has been the subject of fascination for centuries. The identity of the woman is unknown, but it is thought that she is Lisa del Giocondo, a member of the Gherardini family of Florence and Tuscany, and the wife of wealthy Florentine silk merchant Francesco del Giocondo.
The Italian name for the painting, La Gioconda, means "happy" or "jovial", and it is this notion of happiness that is believed to be the central motif of the portrait. The mysterious smile of the Mona Lisa has been described as a blend of joy and grief, and it has been speculated that the painting was commissioned to celebrate the birth of a new child after the loss of a previous one. This theory is supported by scientific evidence, which revealed that beneath the paint, the Mona Lisa was wearing a gauze covering, a garment typically worn in the 16th century by women during pregnancy or after giving birth.
The ambiguity of the smile adds to the allure of the painting, with countless art critics, scholars, and enthusiasts offering their own interpretations. The mysterious nature of the smile is believed to be due in part to da Vinci's innovative use of the sfumato technique, which involves subtly blurring the edges of the lips and eyes, creating a smoky, ethereal effect. This softening of lines and transitions allows for a seamless blending of colours, resulting in a sense of ambiguity.
The enduring popularity of the Mona Lisa's smile reflects the timeless appeal of mystery and beauty in art. The smile has been referenced and parodied in various forms of media, from literature to advertisements, and it continues to captivate audiences with its enigmatic nature.
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Frequently asked questions
The name of the painting is "Mona Lisa". The painting is also known as "La Gioconda" in Italian and French, which means "happy" or "jovial". The Italian name is a pun on the feminine form of Lisa's married name, Giocondo.
The Mona Lisa was painted by the Italian artist and scientist, Leonardo da Vinci. It is considered an archetypal masterpiece of the Italian Renaissance and is known for its novel qualities such as the subject's enigmatic expression, the monumentality of the composition, and the atmospheric illusionism.
There has been much speculation and debate over the identity of the woman depicted in the Mona Lisa. The most popular theory is that she is Lisa del Giocondo (née Gherardini), the wife of Florentine merchant Francesco di Bartolomeo del Giocondo. This identity was first suggested in 1550 by artist biographer Giorgio Vasari. However, the sitter's identity has not been definitively proven.
