Leonardo da Vinci: Mona Lisa
Da Vinci’s ‘Mona Lisa’ better known as Mona Lisa has captivated the hearts and minds of millions for several hundreds of years since its conception. It is truly a great work of art in that it is basically simple yet its true life approach makes it one of the most desirable paintings ever to grace a collection of great masters.
Principally, Mona Lisa contains a visual expression of a woman in the height of her prime. Her staring gaze is undeterred by what is going on around her; she almost seems to be completely fixated with what is in the foreground demonstrating that life has a particular meaning to her. The facial expression is also dominated by largish eyes and an almost faint hinted edge of a smile although that is debatable.
The composition of the work is simple in that it makes use of pastel oils which form an intrinsic part of the material on offer. This also means that the subject has a certain brilliance about her which is instantly recognizable in this sense as well as a directness which is rather magisterial.
The identity of the woman in the painting has long been the subject of intense debate and this also means that the speculation on it will continue for a long time to come. Many have said that ‘Mona Lisa’ was Leonardo’s lover or close friend but the fact that he was rumoured to be homosexual seems to put paid to that argument. Others have speculated that she was some sort of helper or benefactress and this could be closer to the truth although nothing has ever been proven in this regard.
The portrait has been variously described as the best known painting in the world. It is thought to be a portrait of the wife of Francesco del Giocondo who was Lisa Gherardini. It is believed to have been painted between 1503 and 1506 and was acquired by the French Republic – it is permanently on display at the famous Louvre Museum in Paris. The painting has a unique expression of rarefied beauty but is also demonstrative in the fact that the eyes show a piercing kind of directness as well as sensuality. There has been speculation that the woman was in love with Leonardo Da Vinci although he was reputedly homosexual.
The black almost funeral like dress of the Mona Lisa has also inspired considerable debate. The artists placed the figure in a pyramid design whilse the light plays around in rather unique circumstances with a particular spotlight on her face and hands. She is portrayed quite similarly to the usual Madonnas who were portrayed at the time and at times, one almost mistakes her as being so. There is also an impression of a distance between the subject and those who observe her. She is also placed in an imaginary landscape which was another strikingly original feature for the time. There is also a sense of mysticism in the expression of the subject since she is seemingly welcoming the observer to some sort of silent communication. Other artists were also greatly influenced by this work especially Raphael in his portrayal of Baldassare Castiglione which is also found at the Louvre.
Most of all the painting truly demonstrates the beauty and intrinsic wonderment of Leonardo’s capabilities when he was at the height of his powers as an artist. One cannot deny that this is truly one of the great paintings of the age and its value is surely unquestionable.
Visually the painting is not only striking but it is also extremely beautiful in every respect from the expression of ‘Mona Lisa’ onto the wonderment of the background and the subject’s attire.
The composition of the materials which include oils and pastels add to the soft almost erotic touch of the painting. It is surely extremely sensual, especially the colour of the skin which comes across as extremely beautiful and light shaded, edifying a portrait of intrinsic wonderment and astonishing clarity on all counts. Yet one must also account for the personal relationship that Leonardo must have had with the sitter who seems to speak with us from beyond the grave, this portrait is surely her calling card for posterity in more ways than one.
Leonardo da Vinci was a man of many talents and also perhaps of many vices. Yet his capacity to thrill with this great painting has never been underestimated. It is surely one of the great paintings of the age and with its combination of beautiful colours and real life postures it speaks to our hearts with a directness that cannot be underestimated. It is definitely one of the greatest paintings of all time and deserves every accolade awarded to it.
The Mona Lisa remains a controversial work in some aspects but it is also an incredibly vivid portrayal of womanhood in a strikingly original way.
Bibliography:
Pioch N (2006): Mona Lisa Retrieved from: http://www.ibiblio.org/wm/paint/auth/vinci/joconde/ 14.02.2012, Web
Bohm-Duchen, Monica (2001). The private life of a masterpiece. University of California Press. ISBN 978-0-520-23378-2. Retrieved 10 October 2010.
Farago, Claire J. (1999). Leonardo's projects, c. 1500–1519. Taylor & Francis. ISBN 978-0-8153-2935-0. Retrieved 10 October 2010.
Kemp, Martin (2006). Leonardo da Vinci: the marvellous works of nature and man. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-280725-0. Retrieved 10 October 2010.
