The Mona Lisa
The Mona Lisa is a half-length painting of a woman done with oil on a wood panel. The painting, according to Litchfield 2005, was done by Leonardo da Vinci during the Italian Renaissance period. Lorruso and Natalie 2015 argue that the painting would have been started after 1513, contrary to the contemporary belief that it was pained in 1503-1506. The painting is arguably a masterpiece that has been globally recognized as a portrait of the union between humanity and nature as well as an enigmatic emotional expression. The painting was initially 77 by 53 cm and is currently kept in the Louvre in Paris. The painting shows a woman sited in a dark cloth, seemingly the fashionable trend in her days. Behind her, a vast open nature is clearly showing the mountainous region she resided. The object also shows a winding road and rivers and the horizon, which is interestingly set at the woman’s eye level, perhaps as a philosophical addition by da Vinci.
Kemp 2006 contends that the Mona Lisa is a portrait of Lisa del Giocondo, who was the wife of a famous business person Francesco del Giocondo. Kemp also describes the painting as one of the earliest works of aerial art adopted by Leonardo da Vinci. Moreover, the background was imaginary and a description of the vast mental artistry of the author. Arguably the painting focus on the sitter as well as the landscape. First, the woman is sited on an armchair with her hands held together to show her reserved status. Basing from the fact that she was the wife of a prominent businessman, her social class demanded her to remain conservative and seemingly undeterred by minor issues. Clearly, she shows an expressive smile, which is complemented by her fixed gaze on the artist. As described by Bartz 2001, the painting was called La Gioconda in Italian, which translates to” the happy one.” The mysterious expression, however, might be ironic to the portrait’s name since different viewers’ perspectives could indicate that the facial expression did not adequately portray joy.
While recreating the artwork, I discovered significant information about it. First, the portrait was not initially globally famous despite its various exhibitions in royal places. Jack 2019 argues that the painting gained popularity after it was stolen in 1911 and later restored. Moreover, many people, including famous artists, were arrested in connection with the theft, but all suspicions were dropped and deemed unfounded. The painting had previously seen numerous transfers around the world before it was permanently stored in Louvre to date. After the portrait was restored, two years later, it became a global sensation gathering fans from around the world.
I altered the painting to give it an aspect of modernity and the current trend in the world. The portrait remains a global icon with over half a century of existence, and many people have compared it to the symbolism of feminine beauty and charm. The mysterious expression on the portrait still baffles me, and recreating the work gave me an idea to change it. The world was unified when it was restored, and I believe that during the current coronavirus pandemic, the painting should also bring people together. Arguably, the mystery and emotion in the picture could be a description of the current feelings for many people in the lockdown. The road winding up towards the beautiful horizon is symbolic of hope and action towards the restoration of normality in the world.