For Leonardo Da Vinci paintings, the resurgence in interest starting in 2003 has been a nice awakening for Classical Realism! What happened in 2003 was simple, 'The Da Vinci Code' by Dan Brown was published, and has now become a cultural phenomenon.
Did you know that over 40 works of non-fiction publications and books have been written just to refute this fictional novel? But hey! We already knew it was fiction! Right?
Like any really good story, you add just a touch of truth, and then the rest just grows on itself.
Of all the Leonardo Da Vinci paintings known to exist, this is the most famous. Actually, it is considered the worlds most famous of painting!
The fact is, Leonardo loved this painting. So much so, he made sure it traveled with him where ever he went until his death in France. He never divulged who the sitter was, or the actual name he gave the painting! Some even question that there was ever a sitter and some propose it is a self portrait.
The 'Mona Lisa' name was credited to Giorgio Vasari, (an Italian painter and author), for whom he thought the sitter for Leonardo was (nearly 50 years after the fact). This guy was known to weave a good yarn, and thus, the mysterious Lisa Gheradini, a young wife of the Florentine Merchant Francesco Del Giocondo story was born.
The portrait is painted in oil on a poplar (wood) panel. The work is owned by the French Government and is on the wall in the Louvre in Paris, France.
I've been there once to view it, and because of the crowds, security plexa-glass and a fairly far reaching security border of red rope with guys standing around with mini machine guns, you have a better chance at seeing it right here!
All of this didn't exist in the early 1900's cause a guy in 1911 stole the Mona Lisa from the Louvre. The thief actually hid in a broom closet until the museum closed, picked the painting off the wall, and walked out the front door with the painting under his jacket! Eduardo de Valfierno was the mastermind behind the theft and had planned to make copies of the original and sell them as the real thing. In 1913, he was caught trying to sell the original to a Florence art dealer.
Just a few more facts:
(It's the same expression my wife gives me when she knows I don't know, but I think I know, if you know what I mean! I think she knows a lot more than she's letting on!)
Leonardo uses a pyramid style composition to place the woman in the painting. Her breast, neck and face have a highly diffused lighting. No stark shadows and contrast, but a calm glow over the whole piece.
This painting is one of the first known to depict a person in front of a landscape. Give Leonardo credit to think outside the box.
Well, I'm running out of space and time for this article, but let me ask you a few questions to test your knowledge!
Did you notice in this painting, the woman has no eye brows? What's with that?
Did you notice her gaze follows you around the room? How did Leonardo make that effect?
Or that there is a gesture within the painting that suggests she is indeed a virtuous woman? How can you tell?
Details to those answers in the resource box! But one thing for sure before we go!
The faint smile in her face helps us to feel the overall harmony achieved in the painting and in connecting humanity and nature (because of the landscape) within the same piece.
No wonder Leonardo fell in love with her, and never let her out of his reach. No wonder Leonardo Da Vinci paintings will always be the most famous paintings in the world.
Author: Delmus Phelps
About the author:
Artist Delmus G. Phelps has been painting in oils for over 30 years. His latest website is dedicated to educating artist's hungry to find answers to painting problems and other professional artist practices. Join us at http://easy-oil-painting-techniques.org/leonardo-da-vinci-paintings.html to answer your questions on Leonardo Da Vinci paintings and the real code!
Article source: Free Painting Articles.
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