The Mona Lisa’s fame originates in part from the debate regards the identity of the subject, partly from its notorious theft from the Louvre and most importantly from the skill and identity of the artist. These factors combined make the Mona Lisa one of the most recognisable and valuable artworks in the world.
The iconic artwork was executed by Leonardo Da Vinci between 1503 -1506 in Italy however, it has been suggested that the artwork was not finished until Leonardo moved to France at the request of the French King, Francis I. There it remained until Louis XIV moved it to Versailles it was then believed to be in the possession of Napoleon Bonaparte in the 18th century. It is during the second half of this period that artwork in France became a commodity and attention was turned to the value of Leonardo’s work and the recognition of the work by critics as a masterpiece. It is now housed in the Louvre where millions visit the distinguished lady in the portrait every year.
We cannot be sure of the identity of the subject in the artwork. For many centuries it was thought to be Lisa Gherardini, the wife of Francesco Del Giacondo a successful Florentine merchant. This information was based on the writings of renaissance Art Historian Giorgio Versari (1511 – 1574), however, recent research has challenged this assumption and suggested this could be Isabella of Aragon, Duchess Consort of Milan, (Robert Payne, 1978). Others have suggested the artwork is a self portrait of Leonardo Da Vinci himself. We cannot be sure, it is a question for the ages and is one that is still pondered and researched today.
The skill of Da Vinci in the masterful execution of the work is unquestionable. Techniques including his adoption of the landscaped background make this work unique and at the forefront of contemporary art in the renaissance period, where scene’s in the background of portraits were unheard of. Da Vinci’s use of chiaroscuro, the contrast of light and shadow, add mood, depth and volume to the work. The gaze is flirtatious, engaging, some would say haunting as it follows the viewer from every angle and that smile full of worldy wisdom, one wonders what she knows about us that we don’t!
The attention of the world was on the artwork in 1911 when it was stolen from the Louvre, by Vincenzo Peruggia. The empty space where the Mona Lisa once hung became notorious as a mark of shame on Paris. The artwork gained world-wide infamy and from this time onward it would be difficult to find a person not familiar with the extraordinary masterpiece.
Yorumlar