Why is the gioconda so famous

When Leonardo later moved to France in , he took this still unfinished work with him. However, art scholars have increasingly voiced doubts about whether the image in the Louvre can indeed be Vasari's "Lisa," for the style and techniques of the painting match far better Leonardo's later work from onwards.

Additionally, a visitor to Leonardo's house in recorded seeing there a portrait of "a certain Florentine woman, done from life," made "at the instance of the late magnificent Giuliano de Medici. Was our visitor looking at the same image Vasari and our marginal diarist describe as Lisa, or another portrait of a different woman, commissioned later? All in all, just who we are seeing in the Louvre remains one of the work's many mysteries. A portrait stripped bare.

In comparison to many contemporary images of the elite, this portrait is stripped of the usual trappings of high status or symbolic hints to the sitter's dynastic heritage. All attention is thus drawn to her face, and that enigmatic expression. Before the 18th century, emotion was more commonly articulated in painting through gestures of the hand and body than the face. But in any case, depictions of individuals did not aim to convey the same kinds of emotions we might look for in a portrait photograph today -- think courage or humility rather than joy or happiness.

Additionally, a hallmark of elite status was one's ability to keep the passions under good regulation. Irrespective of dental hygiene standards, a broad smile in artworks thus generally indicated ill-breeding or mockery, as we see in Leonardo's own "Study of five grotesque heads. Credit: Leonardo da Vinci. Our modern ideas about emotions leave us wondering just what Mona Lisa might have been feeling or thinking much more than the work's early modern viewers likely did.

A 20th century phenomenon. Oct 27, The following is how you would cite this page: "Who Was Mona Lisa? Lyra Sep 21, How much do you know about Mona Lisa? Let us know. Sep 25, Davin Dec 8, Dec 9, Bhakti Apr 20, Apr 21, We're glad you learned something new! Micah Whitfield Jan 26, Mona Lisa is a cool person to learn about and she can be found in a museum.

Jan 26, Lizz Dec 15, Bonnie Apr 28, Feb 17, We agree, Wonder Friend! We love hearing from all our Wonder Friends! Dec 16, Jesse Nov 24, Very good article and i've always wondered about the Mona Lisa Painting. Nov 24, Sep 17, Tyler Apr 30, Thanks I used this information for my lesson in work time. Thanks Wonderopolis! Wonderopolis Apr 30, That's great news, thanks for including our Mona Lisa Wonder in your work, Tyler! Way to go! Wonderopolis Apr 29, Wonderopolis Apr 25, Wonderopolis Apr 23, We love your enthusiasm, T.

Thanks for sharing your comment! ArtLover Apr 23, Wonderopolis Apr 21, PittM Apr 9, Hi Wonderopolis, I acually saw the Mona Lisa at the Louvre and it's creepy because her eyes follow you everywhere!

But it was very beautiful! Wonderopolis Apr 10, Elizabeth Thompson Mar 20, I was like " I'm pretty sure I don't have Mona Lisa " hahahaha!!!! I just wanted to share that!!!

Wonderopolis Mar 20, Bob the Builder Mar 19, I would love to learn more about the Mona Lisa and her famous smile. I would also like to learn more. Please add more interesting facts on this topic and others. Thank you. We learned about Mona Lisa. She's pretty cool. Wonderopolis Mar 19, Thank you for the wonderful passage on the Mona Lisa it was very educational I didn't have the chance to watch the video because it is blocked on my laptop but I will look it up on another computer to learn more about the Mona Lisa.

Wonderopolis Mar 14, Tyler Jarvis Mar 12, Aww, don't be moanin' Lisa! Wonderopolis Mar 12, Bethany Mar 5, Wonderopolis Mar 6, Lauren Mar 5, Hi wonderopolis, I also am still wondering why Leonardo da Vinci kept the painting? Hey why is Mona Lisa's smile so famous? I love wonderopolis. Deja Mar 5, Wow, Mona Lisa is great! I usually don't like art, but this is incredible!!

Jaclyn Mar 5, There is a book I read about the actual Mona Lisa. It is called "The Second Mrs. Gavin Mar 5, Nadia Mar 5, No way I am going to buy that painting, let alone have the money.

Coleman Mar 5, Aidan I did not know that it was stolen and he tried to sell it. Xavier I did not know that the Mona Lisa was worth so much. Shelby I did not know that the real Mona Lisa had two sons. Connection: Isabelle I learned about the artist that made the Mona Lisa in the 3rd grade. Angel I have a Mona Lisa shirt. Logan In art class last year there was a picture of the Mona Lisa on the wall. Prediction: Shaviyana How can you get a job? Chris Who made American Idol?

Tayler Who made the game Hide and Seek? Ben Who invented the Purple Heart Award? J's Class Mar 5, Hess' Class Mar 5, I shared with them the chat we had last night! Thoughts: I thought the Mona Lisa was kind of creepy because of the way she was staring at me. Shalize I wonder how many people attempted to damage, steal, or destroy the Mona Lisa.

Jake Connections: This reminds me of when a student in our class, Lupe, told us all of Leondaro da Vinci. Leslie This reminds me of when I watched a movie that had a special vase surrounded by bullet proof glass. Jaaron Predictions: How do you become the chosen one? Maria How do you become a grammy winner?

Isaiah Why was the goddess of Anubis so special? Michelle What is something that is considered so special? Bertsch's Class Mar 5, We would have enjoyed a link to other famous paintings, such as "The Scream". Wonderopolis Mar 5, Dorough Mar 5, We think tomorrow's wonder might be about being chosen at random, being chosen for president, an auction, to be chosen for an award like the best movie or chosen for a role in a production.

B Mar 5, Dear Wonderoplis For tomorrow's wonder I think it's going to be a talent show. Speaking of a talent show I am going to do a talent show with my friends on Thursday! In art class there's a Mona Lisa picture. From k. Kennedy Mar 5, Good morning, Wonderopolis! We are still wondering about the Mona Lisa Wonder. Here are some of things we are still wondering about.

Aiden - How old was Lisa when she was painted? Tyler - What was Lisa's first son's name? Grace - Why was only half of her body painted? Megan - Does the painter, Leonardo Da Vinci, have any other famous paintings?

Andrew - Why when you move around, does it look like Mona Lisa is looking at you? We are hoping for our 1st snow day tomorrow! Mona Lisa's name is actually Lisa Gherardini. She was married to a rich guy too. Leonardo de Vinci drew Mona Lisa. Smith's Class Mar 5, We don't think she is scary. We don't think she is smiling either. We think she is thinking. She looks like she is posing.

She is kind of happy. She is beautiful. We like her black hair. We are going to read more to find out how it became so famous. Smith's second grade. Sorry I was sick and I did not write : Well back to the picture wink wink. I think no one should try to break it or try to paint over that art.

From Jayden :P To wonderopolis :V. Karsen Mar 5, Dear Wonderopolis, I think today's wonder of the day was kind of boring! The artist who made the Mona Lisa has a very big talent to draw all that detail on a painting. I love to draw and doodle I am very into art! I think tomorrow's wonder will be about a name draw or elections for president or mayor.

Eiffie cahill Mar 5, Hi wonderopolis I think that art is a beautiful and that the piece of Mona Lisa is amazing. Geri immediately contacted the police, who soon arrested Vincenzo Peruggia, an Italian carpenter who had been working at the Louvre at the time of the theft.

Peruggia admitted that he had simply lifted the masterpiece from the four hooks upon which it hung, stuck it under his workman's tunic, and just walked out the door of the Louvre. The Mona Lisa was found tucked safely away in Peruggia's apartments, just a few blocks from the museum.

Peruggia said he stole the painting because it belonged in an Italian museum rather than a French one. There were also rumors he had taken it so that a forger could make copies of it to sell on the black market.

Once the Mona Lisa was returned to the Louvre, the French turned out in droves to see her, and soon, so did people from all over the globe. The small, simple painting of a maybe-smiling woman had become an overnight sensation, and was the most famous work of art in the world. Since the theft, the Mona Lisa has been the target of other activities.

In , someone threw acid on the painting, and in another attack the same year, a rock was thrown at it, causing a small bit of damage at the subject's left elbow. In , a Russian tourist flung a terra cotta mug at the painting; no damage was done, because Mona Lisa has been behind bulletproof glass for several decades.

The Mona Lisa has influenced countless painters, from Leonardo's contemporaries to today's modern artists. In the centuries since her creation, the Mona Lisa has been copied thousands of times over by artists around the world. Marcel Duchamp took a postcard of Mona Lisa and added a mustache and a goatee.

Other modern masters like Andy Warhol and Salvador Dali painted their own versions of her, and artists have painted her in every conceivable manner, including as a dinosaur, a unicorn, one of Saturday Night Live 's Coneheads, and wearing sunglasses and Mickey Mouse ears.

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