The real-life scandal and shame behind Mona Lisa’s smile MONA LISA was famously unable to conjure up a fully joyous smile for Leonardo da Vinci. [18] Alessandro Vezzosi believes that the painting is characteristic of Leonardo's style in the final years of his life, post-1513. The original name of the painting was Monna Lisa. [119] The French urban artist known pseudonymously as Invader has created versions of the Mona Lisa on city walls in Paris and Tokyo using a mosaic style. [114][115], The avant-garde art world has made note of the Mona Lisa's undeniable popularity. Security in the museum was lax, so the man found it easy to stow away inside a storage closet. [54][57][56][69] The hypothetical first portrait, displaying prominent columns, would have been commissioned by Giocondo circa 1503, and left unfinished in Leonardo's pupil and assistant Salaì's possession until his death in 1524. [68] A number of experts have argued that Leonardo made two versions (because of the uncertainty concerning its dating and commissioner, as well as its fate following Leonardo's death in 1519, and the difference of details in Raphael's sketch—which may be explained by the possibility that he made the sketch from memory). [86] On 2 August 2009, a Russian woman, distraught over being denied French citizenship, threw a ceramic teacup purchased at the Louvre; the vessel shattered against the glass enclosure. The Mona Lisa was created by the Italian artist Leonardo da Vinci (April 14/15, 1452 – May 2, 1519), who was born as “Leonardo di ser Piero da Vinci.” da Vinci was a true polymath who had incredible skills and knowledge in numerous subjects.. [74] Her gaze is fixed on the observer. Leonardo has chosen to place the horizon line not at the neck, as he did with Ginevra de' Benci, but on a level with the eyes, thus linking the figure with the landscape and emphasizing the mysterious nature of the painting. [96], The Mona Lisa has survived for more than 500 years, and an international commission convened in 1952 noted that "the picture is in a remarkable state of preservation. In 1919, Marcel Duchamp, one of the most influential modern artists, created L.H.O.O.Q., a Mona Lisa parody made by adorning a cheap reproduction with a moustache and goatee. Mona Lisa is believed to be the most famous painting in the world. A … It is displayed in a purpose-built, climate-controlled enclosure behind bulletproof glass. ", "In Louvre, New Room With View of 'Mona Lisa, "A Record Picasso and the Hype Price of Status Objects", "Another art anniversary: Mona Lisa comes to New York! It was Pascal Cotte, a French engineer, who discovered the under-layers of the portrait and revealed a few surprising facts. [54] Later paintings by Raphael, such as La velata (1515–16) and Portrait of Baldassare Castiglione (c. 1514–15), continued to borrow from Leonardo's painting. [25] Art historian Carmen C. Bambach has concluded that Leonardo probably continued refining the work until 1516 or 1517. Once upon a time, Mona Lisa had eyebrows and eyelashes. The current scholarly consensus on attribution is unclear. The Mona Lisa, aside from being one of the most recognized works in the history of art, is also one of the most widely reproduced works ever. Perhaps that’s because she was married off to a slave trader at … The model, Lisa del Giocondo,[16][17] was a member of the Gherardini family of Florence and Tuscany, and the wife of wealthy Florentine silk merchant Francesco del Giocondo. She never posed for him, however, her image was permanently imprinted on his mind. [41][42], Of Leonardo da Vinci's works, the Mona Lisa is the only portrait whose authenticity has never been seriously questioned,[43] and one of four works – the others being Saint Jerome in the Wilderness, Adoration of the Magi and The Last Supper – whose attribution has avoided controversy. [46] Other academics argue that, given the historical documentation, Leonardo would have painted the work from 1513. "[12][13] Mona in Italian is a polite form of address originating as ma donna – similar to Ma'am, Madam, or my lady in English. Mona Lisa Height: 5ft 5in (1.65 m) Weight: 60 Kg (132 Lbs) Body Measurements / Vital Stats / Figure Size: 35-27-35. Raphael's Young Woman with Unicorn, c. 1506, Raphael's Portrait of Baldassare Castiglione (c. 1514–15), Le rire (The Laugh) by Eugène Bataille, or Sapeck (1883), Jean Metzinger, 1911, Le goûter (Tea Time), oil on canvas, 75.9 x 70.2 cm, Philadelphia Museum of Art, Marguerite Agniel "As Mona Lisa" by Robert Henri, c. 1929, Today the Mona Lisa is considered the most famous painting in the world, but until the 20th century it was simply one among many highly regarded artworks. He did so with such force that it shattered the glass case and dislodged a speck of pigment near the left elbow. The Mona Lisa was not included because it is in such great demand among visitors to the museum; the painting remained on display in its gallery. [34][35] In 2007, French engineer Pascal Cotte announced that his ultra-high resolution scans of the painting provide evidence that Mona Lisa was originally painted with eyelashes and with visible eyebrows, but that these had gradually disappeared over time, perhaps as a result of overcleaning. Vasari's account of the Mona Lisa comes from his biography of Leonardo published in 1550, 31 years after the artist's death. Descended from ancient nobles, she was born and baptized in Florence in 1479. It has never been fully restored, so the current condition is partly due to a variety of conservation treatments the painting has undergone. Next to the carriage was walking a peasant who was accompanied by his young wife. Forger Yves Chaudron was to have created six copies of the painting to sell in the US while concealing the location of the original. And she's almost drowned in a sprinkler malfunction", "The Louvre, the most visited museum in the world (01.15)", "Culture – Could France sell the Mona Lisa to pay off its debts? Enjoy your time. One is moved, troubled ... repressed desires, hopes that drive one to despair, stir painfully." [20], Peruggia was an Italian patriot who believed that Leonardo's painting should have been returned to an Italian museum. As part of this landmark exhibition, in partnership with HTC VIVE Arts, the Louvre presented the museum’s first virtual reality experience, which brings to life the story of the Mona Lisa, Da Vinci’s most famous masterpiece. "[109], Early commentators such as Vasari and André Félibien praised the picture for its realism, but by the Victorian era, writers began to regard the Mona Lisa as imbued with a sense of mystery and romance. [18] The painting is thought to have been commissioned for their new home, and to celebrate the birth of their second son, Andrea. [50][51][52][a], Circa 1505,[54] Raphael executed a pen-and-ink sketch, in which the columns flanking the subject are more apparent. Nevertheless, applications of varnishmade to the painting had darkened even by the en… Mona Lisa is believed to be the most famous painting in the world. [40], Research in 2008 by a geomorphology professor at Urbino University and an artist-photographer revealed likenesses of Mona Lisa's landscapes to some views in the Montefeltro region in the Italian provinces of Pesaro and Urbino, and Rimini. In 2004–05, a conservation and study team replaced the maple crosspieces with sycamore ones, and an additional metal crosspiece was added for scientific measurement of the panel's warp. Showing all 5 items Jump to: Summaries (5) ... Their parents and the school administration foster a predetermined path in life for the girls, namely to stick to traditional mores and thoughts, with the primary goal of marrying into a good family. All rights reserved. [85] To learn all the details of this amazing story, we spoke to the author of the book Mona Lisa, A Life Discovered, Dianne Hales, who prepared a walking tour to follow Mona Lisa’s steps in Florence. [29], The depiction of the sitter in three-quarter profile is similar to late 15th-century works by Lorenzo di Credi and Agnolo di Domenico del Mazziere. Marital Status: Married. [31], The painting was one of the first portraits to depict the sitter in front of an imaginary landscape, and Leonardo was one of the first painters to use aerial perspective. A detailed analysis in 1933 by Madame de Gironde revealed that earlier restorers had "acted with a great deal of restraint." Because of the painting's overwhelming stature, Dadaists and Surrealists often produce modifications and caricatures. [121] [36] Cotte discovered the painting had been reworked several times, with changes made to the size of the Mona Lisa's face and the direction of her gaze. He continued to work on it for the rest of his life trying to faithfully express her magnetism and mesmerizing charm. Mona is an abbreviation of ma donna (or my lady) and a polite form of address, similar to Ma’am. Denizard also retouched the edges of the picture with varnish, to mask areas that had been covered initially by an older frame. Salvador Dalí, famous for his surrealist work, painted Self portrait as Mona Lisa in 1954. A later restorer glued and lined the resulting socket and crack with cloth. A blotch mark on the corner of the eye and chin are varnish accidents, countering claims that Mona Lisa was sick. The painting was presented to the media in 2012 by the Mona Lisa Foundation. The Mona Lisa (/ˌmoʊnə ˈliːsə/; Italian: Monna Lisa [ˈmɔnna ˈliːza] or La Gioconda [la dʒoˈkonda]; French: La Joconde [la ʒɔkɔ̃d]) is a half-length portrait painting by Italian artist Leonardo da Vinci. [80] He carried out the theft by entering the building during regular hours, hiding in a broom closet, and walking out with the painting hidden under his coat after the museum had closed. ", "Hidden portrait 'found under Mona Lisa', says French scientist", "Secret Portrait Hidden Under Mona Lisa, Claims French Scientist", "New Study Reveals Potentially Groundbreaking Drawing Hidden Beneath 'Mona Lisa, "Why Leonardo da Vinci's brilliance endures, 500 years after his death", "Biographical index of collectors of pastels", "Mona Lisa fans decry brief encounter with their idol in Paris", "Leonardo da Vinci's Unexamined Life as a Painter", "Louvre exhibit has most da Vinci paintings ever assembled", "Philadelphia Museum of Art - Collections Object : Tea Time (Woman with a Teaspoon)", "Mona Lisa: Who is Hidden Behind the Woman with the Mustache? Mona Lisa Age (In 2017): 35 Years. In 1952, the varnish layer over the background in the painting was evened out. "Possibly it was another portrait of which no record and no copies exist—Giuliano de' Medici surely had nothing to do with the. He also found that in one layer the subject was depicted wearing numerous hairpins and a headdress adorned with pearls which was later scrubbed out and overpainted. He carried her portrait with him everywhere he went. The title of the painting, which is known in English as Mona Lisa, comes from a description by Renaissance art historian Giorgio Vasari, who wrote "Leonardo undertook to paint, for Francesco del Giocondo, the portrait of Mona Lisa, his wife. It has long been the best-known source of information on the provenance of the work and identity of the sitter. After the second 1956 attack, restorer Jean-Gabriel Goulinat was directed to touch up the damage to Mona Lisa's left elbow with watercolour. During World War II, it was again removed from the Louvre and taken first to the Château d'Amboise, then to the Loc-Dieu Abbey and Château de Chambord, then finally to the Ingres Museum in Montauban. Experts universally agree that it is based on Leonardo's portrait. Wed to a truculent businessman twice her age, she gave birth to six children and died at age sixty-three in 1542. The Real Story of the Mona Lisa. Zollner states that "None of Leonardo's works would exert more influence upon the evolution of the genre than the Mona Lisa. [77] The painting was first missed the next day by painter Louis Béroud. [135] The Prado's conclusion that the painting is probably by Salaì (1480–1524) or by Melzi (1493–1572) has been called into question by others. The soft blending creates an ambiguous mood "mainly in two features: the corners of the mouth, and the corners of the eyes". He was greatly attracted to her, mesmerized by her enigmatic smile. she must be the world’s most wonderful mom. ", "Second Mona Lisa Unveiled for First Time in 40 Years", "The Isleworth Mona Lisa: A second Leonardo masterpiece? “Mona Lisa Beyond the Glass” Virtual Reality Experience. Enjoy your time with her. Mona Lisa was famously unable to conjure up a fully joyous smile for Leonardo da Vinci. This was treated on the spot with carbon tetrachloride, and later with an ethylene oxide treatment. [84] The painting was protected by glass because a few years earlier a man who claimed to be in love with the painting had cut it with a razor blade and tried to steal it. Some researchers claim that it was common at this time for genteel women to pluck these hairs, as they were considered unsightly. He analyzed the painting in the Louvre with reflective light technology beginning in 2004, and produced circumstantial evidence for his theory. Leonardo da Vinci began painting the Mona Lisa in … Apollinaire implicated his friend Pablo Picasso, who was brought in for questioning. Your email address will not be published. [122] The Baedeker guide in 1878 called it "the most celebrated work of Leonardo in the Louvre",[123] but the painting was known more by the intelligentsia than the general public. Leonardo began to be revered as a genius, and the painting's popularity grew in the mid-19th century when French intelligentsia praised it as mysterious and a representation of the femme fatale. During the 20th century it was an object for mass reproduction, merchandising, lampooning and speculation, and was claimed to have been reproduced in "300 paintings and 2,000 advertisements". For example, Leonardo probably painted his model faithfully since her beauty is not seen as being among the best, "even when measured by late quattrocento (15th century) or even twenty-first century standards. [131] Former director Henri Loyrette reckoned that "80 percent of the people only want to see the Mona Lisa. She was not an exceptional beauty but there was a sort of a heavenly charm in her that was flowing through her. Take a look at these 7 interesting facts about Mona Lisa: The name of the painting, Mona Lisa was the result of a spelling error! About this we are now certain. There are speculations who does the small portrait depict. ", "New proof said found for "original" Mona Lisa –", "Mona Lisa: A Comparative Evaluation of the Different Versions and Their Copies", Conservation Science in Cultural Heritage, "Computer Studies of the Isleworth and Louvre Mona Lisas", Scientific analyses conducted by the Center for Research and Restoration of the Museums of France (C2RMF), Madonna and Child with the Infant Saint John the Baptist, The Virgin and Child with Saint Anne and Saint John the Baptist, Museo Nazionale Scienza e Tecnologia Leonardo da Vinci (Milan), Land grant to Marduk-apla-iddina I by Meli-Shipak II, Statue of the Tiber river with Romulus and Remus, Vulcan Presenting Venus with Arms for Aeneas, The Attributes of Civilian and Military Music, The Attributes of Music, the Arts and the Sciences, The Lictors Bring to Brutus the Bodies of His Sons, Coresus Sacrificing Himself to Save Callirhoe, Bonaparte Visiting the Plague Victims of Jaffa, Don Pedro of Toledo Kissing Henry IV's Sword, Joan of Arc at the Coronation of Charles VII, Portrait of Madame Marcotte de Sainte-Marie, Francesca da Rimini and Paolo Malatesta Appraised by Dante and Virgil, Madonna and Child with Saint Peter and Saint Sebastian, Venus and the Three Graces Presenting Gifts to a Young Woman, A Young Man Being Introduced to the Seven Liberal Arts, Portrait of Alof de Wignacourt and his Page, The Doge on the Bucintoro near the Riva di Sant'Elena, Holy Family with the Family of St John the Baptist, Saints Bernardino of Siena and Louis of Toulouse, Madonna and Child with St John the Baptist and St Catherine of Alexandria, Madonna and Child with St Rose and St Catherine, Portrait of Sigismondo Pandolfo Malatesta, Portrait of Doña Isabel de Requesens y Enríquez de Cardona-Anglesola, Crucifixion with the Virgin Mary, St John and St Mary Magdalene, The Archangel Raphael Leaving Tobias' Family, Pendant portraits of Marten Soolmans and Oopjen Coppit, Ixion, King of the Lapiths, Deceived by Juno, Who He Wished to Seduce, The Virgin and Child Surrounded by the Holy Innocents, Francis I, Charles V and the Duchess of Étampes, Street Scene near the El Ghouri Mosque in Cairo, Christopher Columbus Before the Council of Salamanca, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Mona_Lisa&oldid=1005167665, Paintings of the Louvre by Italian artists, Articles containing Italian-language text, Wikipedia articles needing page number citations from July 2019, Articles with dead external links from June 2016, Pages containing links to subscription-only content, Wikipedia pages semi-protected against vandalism, Short description is different from Wikidata, Pages using infobox artwork with the material parameter, Articles with unsourced statements from May 2014, Articles with unsourced statements from November 2016, Articles containing Spanish-language text, Articles with Encyclopædia Britannica links, CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown, Wikipedia articles with Joconde identifiers, Wikipedia articles with SUDOC identifiers, Wikipedia articles with WorldCat-VIAF identifiers, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 6 February 2021, at 08:48. 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