Free Essay On An Analysis Of The Mona Liza

Mona Lisa was an oil painting made by Leonardo da Vinci in the sixteenth century. It was meant for the eyes of the upper-class, having been bought by King Francois in the year 1516 and later spending some time in the bedroom of Napoleon.
Leonardo neither signed nor dated the Mona Lisa, but he gets credit for its creation. To emphasize this fact, Antonio de Beatis makes a formal reference in his journal after Leonardo da Vinci showed it to him together with two other paintings. The artist's aim after making it was to stay with it; he had too much affection for it, probably because he felt inclined to finish it. Leonardo was the sole creator of the painting.
Francesco del Giocondo patronised the canvas. It was made in the image of his wife, Lisa del Giocondo as a celebration of their new residence and second child. Mona Lisa was painted for the eyes of royalty. Coming with a four thousand gold pieces price tag, it was a precious painting and only the ones who matched up to this value were allowed to do so, as the wealthy merchant, Francesco del Gioncondo, King Francois and the conqueror, Napoleon, all people of very high esteem.
The Mona Lisa was received with a lot of skepticism by the contemporary viewers. It was a new style of painting that depicted a woman as a self-assured person with her posture and facial features. This was not a typical aspect of arts at the time. It also featured part of the woman's body below the waist. Leonardo's new style would later become the trend in art.
The Mona Lisa's date of the painting is not accurately determined as Leonardo neither dated nor painted it. However, it is estimated that work on it began between 1500 AD and 1503 AD. Made in Florence, Italy, it was later acquired by King François of France and then moved to Napoleon and remains in France to date. It took four years to create and was never finished.
Mona Lisa was an ostentatious painting, marked by its high cost even by modern day standards. It was initially commissioned for the birth of the Giocondos' second son and a new house. Later by coming into possession of royalty, it became a symbol of might, spending time in the residences of both Napoleon and King Francois.
Leonardo made the Mona Lisa with oil, on a poplar panel of wood and an oak frame for good reason. Illusion that whatever direction you perceive the painting from is correct was created. He wanted the canvas to reflect light and obscure the features of her face which he did not want to come out. By using the light to his advantage in covering the features he did not want to be seen, the more delicate features he worked on became the focus of the audience. Mona Lisa's smile was vivid, and her eyes seemed to move with any person walking across the room. Her smile invokes mystery in the public who now see a strange beauty in the woman.
The social implication of the painting was that it showed women in a more positive light that had not been seen before. Better paintings prompted a change in mentalities both religiously and politically. As Leonardo's style of painting became the trend, women's standing in the church and political leadership would improve. It also changed thinking in all the three aspects mentioned as it made people see that what someone wanted to be hidden could be hidden, and everything depended on perspective.