“The Mona Lisa” (Lisa Gherardini) is a half length portrait of a woman painted in Florence between 1503 and 1506. The mastermind behind this piece of work is non other then the Italian Leonardo da Vinci. This oil on poplar panel composition is on permanent display at the Musée du Louvre in Paris.
“The Mona Lisa” has claimed the titles of the most visited and most well known, the most written about, the most sung about, and lastly the most imitated work of art in the world.
Also in relevance to my last post “The Scream” the “Mona Lisa” also has been subject to theft(1911) due to its popularity. It was believed to be lost forever, but it wasn’t until two years later when the thief Vincenzo Peruggia grew impatient and tried to sell it to the Uffizi Gallery. It was then that it was returned to Louvre(1913), and as for the thief he served 6 months in jail for his crime.
Nevertheless after the theft, the painting was victim to crime once again in 1956 when a vandal threw acid at the lower portion of the painting causing severe damage. Also again that same year a boy threw a rock causing some damage as well. Since then the painting has been protected by bulletproof glass. Thankfully too, due to more attacks on the painting over the years.
Nonetheless this painting is nothing short of stunning, the woman was placed perfectly in the space of the painting. The painting is very calming, but was composed with this formula in mind where he would create distance between the woman and the observer. All with a beautiful imaginary landscape in the setting behind the sitter. That is why this well-balanced photo is as popular and sought out as it is today.
Epic Art 