Giselle’ Diary

About the Mona Lisa, Wikipedia says….

” Mona Lisa (also known as La Gioconda) is a 16th century portrait painted in oil on a poplar panel by Leonardo Da Vinci during the Italian Renaissance. The work is owned by the French government and hangs in the Musée du Louvre in Paris, France with the title Portrait of Lisa Gherardini, wife of Francesco del Giocondo.

The painting is a half-length portrait and depicts a woman whose expression is often described as enigmatic. The ambiguity of the sitter’s expression, the monumentality of the half-figure composition, and the subtle modeling of forms and atmospheric illusionism were novel qualities that have contributed to the painting’s continuing fascination.

Mona Lisa was not well known until the mid-19th century when artists of the emerging Symbolist movement began to appreciate it, and associated it with their ideas about feminine mystique.

Leonardo used a pyramid design to place the woman simply and calmly in the space of the painting. Her folded hands form the front corner of the pyramid. Her breast, neck and face glow in the same light that models her hands. The light gives the variety of living surfaces an underlying geometry of spheres and circles.

… the composition of the figure evokes an ambiguous effect: we are attracted to this mysterious woman but have to stay at a distance as if she were a divine creature…

The Mona Lisa painting now hangs in the Musée du Louvre in Paris, France. “

So, what do YOU think of the Mona Lisa painting?

I was browsing through the art sites online and came across many references and many repetitive images of the Mona Lisa. This led me to wonder what is it about this painting that enamours so many? What is it about this work of art that makes it so famous?

http://www.louvre.fr/llv/dossiers/detail_oal.jsp?CONTENT%3C%3Ecnt_id=10134198673229908&CURRENT_LLV_OAL%3C%3Ecnt_id=10134198673229908&bmLocale=en was very informative and truly speaking, after going through this site, I too have become a fan of this piece of art! It is just a splendid work with a lot of planning and mathematics is involved to such a length that it could also be called a piece of mathematical magic!!!

The two landscapes being the background of the painting and Mona Lisa being seated on the balcony with the two columns framing the portrait gives us a far-sighted view of the entire setting.. like as though it is a never ending land stretched out behind her to which we can see.. and yet, at the same time, it is the woman in the painting who arrests our attention.. with her come-hither eyes.. which silently but very strongly beckons the viewer to her and the makings of a smile upon her face.. She seems as though she is thinking of something that she likes but to the observer it seems as though she is calling out to us…

The folds on her dresses.. the sleeves.. the ruffles, the lace.. it has all been captured with such precision. The gauzy veil that blows on her head looks ready to fly away at the very next breeze! The woman’ complexion has been sketched very aptly.. with the pink areas near the fingertips and the colour differences at other parts.. the light bouncing of her bosom and her curly hair lightly brushing against her shoulders…

When we observe the portrait taking each area into consideration separately, we can surely understand why Leonardo Da Vinci took almost 4 years to complete this painting!!!!

It surely is a splendid piece of art!