The Mona Lisa is arguably the most iconic and well-known painting in the world. For centuries, this enigmatic portrait by Leonardo da Vinci has captured the fascination and imagination of countless viewers. But what exactly is the story behind this celebrated masterpiece? In this article, we’ll explore the painting’s origins, techniques, theft, and secrets that have contributed to its enduring allure and mystery.
Origins of the Mona Lisa
The Mona Lisa is a half-length portrait painting of a woman, believed to be Lisa Gherardini, the wife of a wealthy silk merchant named Francesco del Giocondo. Lisa was born in Florence in 1479 into an aristocratic family that had fallen on hard times. In 1495, when Lisa was 16, she married Francesco, who was about 30.
The painting was commissioned by her husband around 1503 to celebrate one of two occasions – either the purchase of the couple’s new home or the birth of their second son. However, some experts believe that the portrait was actually commissioned by Leonardo’s father, who knew the Giocondo family well.
Leonardo da Vinci likely began working on the painting in 1503 or 1504. He worked on it slowly over the next 15 years, not finishing it before moving from Italy to France in 1516, at the invitation of King Francis I. Da Vinci brought the unfinished Mona Lisa with him and continued tweaking the painting until his death in 1519. The king acquired the portrait and added it to the Royal Collection.
Groundbreaking Techniques Behind the Mona Lisa
The Mona Lisa exhibits da Vinci’s mastery of several innovative painting techniques that were groundbreaking for his time and allowed him to achieve the subtle atmospherics for which the painting is renowned:
- Sfumato: This technique involved gently blurring the edges between colors and tones to eliminate harsh outlines. It lent a hazy, atmospheric effect often compared to that of smoking. Da Vinci perfected sfumato to create indistinct borders between the figure of Mona Lisa and the landscape behind her.
- Chiaroscuro: With this technique, da Vinci played with light and shadow to model the figure and give it depth and movement. The delicate contrast of light and shade around Mona Lisa’s face and hands is especially evident.
- Atmospheric perspective: Also called aerial perspective, this technique makes distant objects appear more muted, blurred, and blue than objects in the foreground. Da Vinci used atmospheric perspective to make the landscape behind the Mona Lisa seem far off.
- Fluid brushwork: Da Vinci employed extraordinarily subtle gradients of color and tone to impart a remarkable sense of fluidity to the painting. This is especially apparent in the veils, hair, and flesh tones of the subject.
The Mysterious Smile and Allure of the Mona Lisa
The Mona Lisa is celebrated for her mysterious and alluring smile. Da Vinci spent countless hours studying human anatomy and the muscles involved in facial expressions so he could carefully replicate subtle emotions. Her smile seems to change depending on the viewer’s perspective, fading when looked at directly but blooming when viewed indirectly. Da Vinci achieved this effect deliberately by blurring the edges of her smile and eyes, making them hard to discern clearly at close range.
The subject’s intriguingly ambiguous facial expression epitomizes the Renaissance humanist ideal of contemplative withdrawal from the world. Mona Lisa seems absorbed in her own thoughts, and her faraway gaze draws the viewer in. Her pose, dress, and backdrop lack identifiable context, further adding to the sense of timelessness and mystery pervading the portrait.
The theft that launched the painting to fame
On August 21, 1911, three Italian handymen who worked at the Louvre stole the Mona Lisa right off its walls. They hid overnight in a closet, removed the painting from its frame, tucked it under a coat, and simply walked out the next morning with the priceless work rolled up in a blanket.
The theft created an international sensation, propelling the Mona Lisa to worldwide fame. Before the heist, it was just one acclaimed work among many in the museum. But the loss of this Italian cultural treasure made it a household name almost overnight. Thousands flocked to stare at the empty space on the museum wall where it once hung.
The French police were stumped for two years. Finally, in 1913, the culprit, Vincenzo Peruggia, attempted to sell the painting to an art dealer in Florence. He was caught and the painting was returned to France amid much fanfare. Peruggia, an Italian nationalist, had always insisted he meant to return the masterpiece to its homeland. Although his motives were suspect, the theft ironically helped cement the Mona Lisa as an international icon.
Fame aside, the conditions for the painting changed dramatically after the theft. It moved to a more secure location behind bulletproof glass with strict climate control and security guards. No one would ever again get so close to the Mona Lisa.
Secrets Hidden in the Painting
- The Mona Lisa is painted on wood, not canvas. Da Vinci opted to use a wooden panel of poplar instead of canvas or linen. The support has changed shape over time, cracking in some places and warping slightly.
- She’s bigger than you think. Measuring 30 x 21 inches (77 x 53 cm), the Mona Lisa is surprisingly large compared to typical Renaissance portraits. This monumental scale alone contrasts with the standard diminutive donor portraits of the day.
- You’re spotting a mourning veil. Mona Lisa seems to wear a fine black veil over her hair. In the 16th century, women only wore such veils after the death of a close family member. Lisa lost a daughter in 1499, so her veil may symbolize her mourning.
- Her smile mystifies by design. Da Vinci deliberately blurred elements of Mona Lisa’s face and specifically her smile to intrigue viewers. He discovered that peripheral vision picks up shadows and darkness more easily than straight-on viewing does.
- She’s older than you imagined. Most experts believe the Mona Lisa depicts a 24-year-old Lisa Gherardini. During the early 16th century, women were considered matrons by their mid-20s. So, although she seems eternally young today, she was relatively mature for her time.
- You’re not seeing the real colors. Centuries of accumulated grime and varnish have altered the original colors of the painting. The background was originally more vivid blue and green, the figure’s gown more crimson, and the skin tones less yellow.
- It changed hands a lot. Before King Francis I acquired the portrait, it was inherited by Salaì, Da Vinci’s student and possible lover. Salaì briefly showed it to Francis, who expressed interest, probably leading Salaì to sell it to the king.
Raphael’s Drawing and the Isleworth Mona Lisa – Painting or Copy?
In 1504, young Renaissance artist Raphael, who was also in Florence, completed a pen and ink sketch that resembled the Mona Lisa, including the columns flanking her. This drawing raised questions. Did Raphael copy an existing portrait of Lisa Gherardini, or did his sketch inspire Da Vinci’s subsequent Mona Lisa?
In 1914, an English art collector unveiled a second painting of the Mona Lisa that he called the Isleworth Mona Lisa. It is slightly larger than the Louvre version, with obvious columns behind the figure that match Raphael’s sketch. Some believe this Isleworth version is actually Da Vinci’s first, unfinished draft, with the Louvre version being the final product.
But most experts today agree the Isleworth painting is not an original da Vinci. Scientific analysis in the 2000s found the execution matched a later copyist’s work. The Isleworth Mona Lisa likely reproduces elements of the Louvre masterpiece without matching da Vinci’s hand. Regardless, the Isleworth portrait demonstrates the Mona Lisa’s far-reaching influence throughout art history.
The Everlasting Allure of the Mona Lisa
The Louvre Mona Lisa has been copied endless times and depicted in every conceivable medium, making her the world’s most reproduced and influential artwork. Her face remains recognizable even in thumbnail-sized images and casual sketches. What is it about this 500-year-old portrait that continues to intrigue and delight viewers?
At the heart of the Mona Lisa’s universal and enduring allure seems to lie its many dualities – the contradictory impressions it conveys. She is realistic yet idealized, familiar yet remote, eternal yet fleeting, old yet young, ordinary yet extraordinary. The magic appears in how Da Vinci resolved these dualities into one transcendent image, imbuing the portrait with complex psychological dimensions and leaving its emotional impact open to interpretation.
The Mona Lisa stays relevant because its deeper truths still resonate. In her synthesis of the commonplace and the divine, humanity sees itself reflected. We realize that appearances conceal as much as they reveal and that the essence of life remains a beautiful mystery.
Frequently Asked Questions About the Mona Lisa
Here are answers to some common questions about the celebrated Mona Lisa painting:
Who is the Mona Lisa?
The consensus is that the Mona Lisa depicts Lisa Gherardini, the wife of a wealthy Florentine silk merchant named Francesco del Giocondo. She was in her early 20s when portrayed.
When was the Mona Lisa painted?
Leonardo da Vinci likely worked on the painting from around 1503 to 1519. The exact dates are uncertain. It was commissioned sometime around 1503 by either Lisa’s husband or da Vinci’s father, who knew the couple.
Why is the Mona Lisa famous?
The Mona Lisa became instantly famous worldwide after it was stolen in 1911. Before then, da Vinci’s portrait was revered as a masterwork but not well-known outside art circles. The theft scandalized the public and catalyzed the painting’s celebrity status.
Why is the Mona Lisa smiling?
Da Vinci deliberately portrayed her elusive, mysterious smile to create an intriguing and inviting effect that seems to change depending on the viewer’s perspective. The subject’s facial expression and gaze are ambiguous, adding to the allure.
Why is the Mona Lisa valuable?
As an original da Vinci portrait in exceptional condition, the 500-year-old painting is of immense historic and artistic value. The international notoriety gained after its theft further increased its worth. Today its insurance valuation approaches $1 billion.
Where is the real Mona Lisa?
The actual early-16th-century portrait by da Vinci hangs in the Louvre Museum in Paris, where it has been since returning after the 1911 theft. It resides in a special enclosure with added security and climate monitoring.
Does the Isleworth Mona Lisa exist?
The controversial Isleworth Mona Lisa is a separate early 16th-century painting once believed to be an original da Vinci underdrawing. Scientific analysis in the 2000s disproved that theory but confirmed it was painted by a skilled copyist to reproduce the Louvre’s Mona Lisa.
How did Da Vinci change art?
Leonardo da Vinci pioneered and mastered techniques like sfumato, chiaroscuro, atmospheric perspective, and anatomical study that profoundly advanced Western art. His naturalistic approach influenced painters for generations. Equally skilled in art and science, he embodied the spirit of the Renaissance.
Who is the woman depicted in the Mona Lisa?
The consensus is that the portrait depicts Lisa Gherardini, the wife of a Florentine silk merchant. Her gaze and smile have been perplexing art lovers for centuries.
Why does the Mona Lisa have no eyebrows?
During the early 16th century when it was painted, it was the beauty standard for aristocratic women to pluck their eyebrows and hairline to achieve a high, rounded forehead. So she would have had no eyebrows in real life.
What makes the Mona Lisa smile seem to change expressions?
Da Vinci studied optics and used subtle shadows around the mouth to create a ‘smile illusion’. The sfumato technique blends the mouth contours so the smile seems to shift as your gaze moves. He pioneered these tricks that subtly engage the viewer.
How was the Mona Lisa stolen in 1911?
Vincenzo Peruggia, an Italian handyman at the Louvre, simply hid inside a closet overnight and then walked out with it under his coat in the morning. Police shut down the ports but didn’t find it for 2 years until Peruggia tried selling it.
Is the Mona Lisa a small or large painting?
It is quite modestly sized, measuring just 30 inches tall by 21 inches wide. Much larger paintings hang in the vast Louvre. But its size belies its enormous significance. Da Vinci’s innovative composition created an intimate closeness between the viewer and the subject.
What makes the Mona Lisa such a masterpiece?
Da Vinci’s revolutionary techniques like sfumato and composition were incredibly groundbreaking for the early 16th century. He pioneered new methods of using light, color, and perspective to give the portrait astonishing realism and lifelike presence. It demonstrated the pinnacle of his technical mastery.
Is the Mona Lisa a da Vinci self-portrait?
Some claim it may be a sly self-portrait of da Vinci in drag as speculation continues about her identity. However, most experts believe analysis shows it was most likely Lisa Gherardini, the woman who commissioned the painting with her husband.