Mona Lisa

Painted more than 400 years ago, Leonardo Da Vinci’s portrait of a seated, smiling woman has captured the imagination of those who have viewed her through pictures and articles or have had the opportunity to see the portrait up close and personal.

The Woman in the Portrait: Many say that the painting, the Mona Lisa, is probably one of Da Vinci’s most fascinating works because of such things as the use of understated illusionism, the overall use of composition that at that time was practiced all that well, and what many view as the subjects “enigmatic smile.” The portrait painted by Da Vinci between the years 1503–1519 depicts Lisa del Giocondo, the wife of Francesco del Giocondo. Lisa del Giocondo was a member of the Gherardini family whose family’s roots were in Florence and Tuscany, Italy. The painting was commissioned by Francesco del Giocondo to hang in their new home, and also was a celebration for their new son’s birth.

Scholarly Observations: There has been speculation as to the identity of Da Vinci’s subject in the painting. There has been some discussion by scholars as to the actual identity of the woman whose likeness graces the portrait; some believed that the subject was either Isabella of Naples, Costanza d'Avalos, Duchess of Francavilla, Cecilia Gallerani, or even of Leonardo himself. After years of speculation, it was concluded that the subject was indeed Lisa del Giocondo.

Picture Perfect: Da Vinci used a style that was based around a pyramid for this portrait. He placed his subject in the center of the canvas, her arms and hands folded to shape the base of the pyramid. Leonardo used the light to highlight several areas of the subject including her breast, neck and face, and having the same light source also directed on the surfaces of her clothing, brought out some of the natural geometry of spheres and circles that were just under the surface of the clothing she wore.

Da Vinci’s paintings was among the first to use an imaginary landscape as a backdrop for a subject in a portrait. Da Vinci was also one of the first painters to use the technique of aerial perspective in his picture. There are two other things that are noticeable about the Mona Lisa. The first is that there is no evidence of the subject having eyebrows, and the second thing is that the subject’s gaze is firmly aimed at the observer, and almost seems to welcome them through silent communique. Leonardo Da Vinci's painting has survived more than 400 years against the ravages of time, and is presently housed in the famous Musee du Louvre, Paris. It is displayed in a special frame that is climate controlled and in bullet proof glass.