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What does the Mona Lisa painting depict?
Mona Lisa, also known as La Gioconda, is the wife of Francesco del Giocondo. It is a visual representation of the idea of happiness suggested by the word “gioconda” in Italian. Leonardo made this notion of happiness the central motif of the portrait: it is this notion that makes the work such an ideal.
Does the Mona Lisa have multiple interpretations?
Scholars and historians have posited numerous interpretations, including that she is Lisa del Giocondo (née Gherardini), the wife of the Florentine merchant Francesco di Bartolomeo del Giocondo, hence the alternative title to the work, La Gioconda.
What makes Mona Lisa different?
Indeed, the Mona Lisa is a very realistic portrait. The subject’s softly sculptural face shows Leonardo’s skillful handling of sfumato, an artistic technique that uses subtle gradations of light and shadow to model form, and shows his understanding of the skull beneath the skin.
How does Mona Lisa relate to the Renaissance?
The Mona Lisa was originally this type of portrait, but over time its meaning has shifted and it has become an icon of the Renaissance—perhaps the most recognized painting in the world. The Mona Lisa is a likely a portrait of the wife of a Florentine merchant.
What’s special about Mona Lisa smile?
The secret behind the Mona Lisa is that the “happy” part of her smile is actually buried in a low spatial frequency pattern. So if you’re not looking directly at her mouth, her smile looks cheerful. But when you look directly at her smile, parts of it disappear into the background.
Was the Mona Lisa cut down?
The actual painted surface of the Louvre portrait was never wider than it is today. In 1959, the distinguished German art historian, Richard Friedenthal states that: “ … it [the Louvre ‘Mona Lisa’] was cut by about 10cm on each side.” That would have meant that the panel was wider by about 20cm, roughly 8 inches.”
How does the Mona Lisa show realism?
The realism of his painting is a result of Leonardo’s diverse scientific observations. From the study of human anatomy he developed a mathematical system for determining size in space, perspective that is incorporated in the way Mona Lisa’s torso, head and eyes are each turned a little more toward the viewer.