Why is the Mona Lisa so famous?
Why is the Mona Lisa so famous?
During the 19th century, interest in the Renaissance led to some exaggerated claims about da Vinci and the Mona Lisa.
Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.
Transcript
The Mona Lisa may be the most famous painting in the world. Housed in the Louvre in Paris behind bulletproof glass, it’s better-protected than some heads of state.
But… why?
The Mona Lisa was painted by the great Italian artist Leonardo da Vinci between 1503 and 1519.
It spent some time in the care of King Francis I of France and was part of France’s royal collection…that is until the French Revolution turned the royal collection into a public collection.
The painting eventually found its home in the Louvre — perhaps the most famous art museum in the world - setting the stage for the strange events that would make this one of the most famous sorta-smiles in history.
The painting was highly regarded even while Leonardo was still working on it, but it wasn’t until later that it became a universal symbol of great art.
During the 19th century, interest in the Renaissance led to some… let’s say exaggerated claims about both Leonardo and his model.
While modern scholars tend to see Leonardo’s scientific achievements as small, his inventive designs and “mirror-writing” notes helped burnish a reputation for genius beyond that of his peers.
Meanwhile, the identity of the Mona Lisa herself became mythologized.
Often thought to be Lisa del Giocondo, the wife of a wealthy Florentine merchant, the lack of commission from her husband has raised doubts about the model’s identity.
Some have romanticized her as a mysterious seductress.
One writer even accused her of being a vampire who “has been dead many times and learned the secrets of the grave.” — probably metaphorically, but still.
The painting’s fame was galvanized in 1911 by another mystery — the Mona Lisa’s theft.
An employee of the Louvre, Vincenzo Peruggia, along with two accomplices, stole the painting. And for two years it was missing.
The story was a sensation, provoking a feeling among the French people that the work was a national treasure that must be recovered.
When the painting was finally found in Italy, it took a tour of that country before returning home to the Louvre in triumph.
The Mona Lisa had become an icon of the art world. But to become the universally recognized figure that it is today, something else was required — a touch of iconoclasm.
Some scholars believe that, by adding a beard and moustache to the postcard featuring the painting, French artist Marcel Duchamp sealed the Mona Lisa’s place in history by using that famous smile to take a playful jab at the worship of so-called high art.
By the second half of the 20th century, when the Mona Lisa toured the United States and Japan, you’d be hard pressed to find anyone who wasn’t familiar with the painting!
Today, the painting is once more safely behind glass in the Louvre, where thousands of people visit it every day. And now you know why it’s so well-protected — it’s been stolen before, and after all, it’s only become more priceless since.
But… why?
The Mona Lisa was painted by the great Italian artist Leonardo da Vinci between 1503 and 1519.
It spent some time in the care of King Francis I of France and was part of France’s royal collection…that is until the French Revolution turned the royal collection into a public collection.
The painting eventually found its home in the Louvre — perhaps the most famous art museum in the world - setting the stage for the strange events that would make this one of the most famous sorta-smiles in history.
The painting was highly regarded even while Leonardo was still working on it, but it wasn’t until later that it became a universal symbol of great art.
During the 19th century, interest in the Renaissance led to some… let’s say exaggerated claims about both Leonardo and his model.
While modern scholars tend to see Leonardo’s scientific achievements as small, his inventive designs and “mirror-writing” notes helped burnish a reputation for genius beyond that of his peers.
Meanwhile, the identity of the Mona Lisa herself became mythologized.
Often thought to be Lisa del Giocondo, the wife of a wealthy Florentine merchant, the lack of commission from her husband has raised doubts about the model’s identity.
Some have romanticized her as a mysterious seductress.
One writer even accused her of being a vampire who “has been dead many times and learned the secrets of the grave.” — probably metaphorically, but still.
The painting’s fame was galvanized in 1911 by another mystery — the Mona Lisa’s theft.
An employee of the Louvre, Vincenzo Peruggia, along with two accomplices, stole the painting. And for two years it was missing.
The story was a sensation, provoking a feeling among the French people that the work was a national treasure that must be recovered.
When the painting was finally found in Italy, it took a tour of that country before returning home to the Louvre in triumph.
The Mona Lisa had become an icon of the art world. But to become the universally recognized figure that it is today, something else was required — a touch of iconoclasm.
Some scholars believe that, by adding a beard and moustache to the postcard featuring the painting, French artist Marcel Duchamp sealed the Mona Lisa’s place in history by using that famous smile to take a playful jab at the worship of so-called high art.
By the second half of the 20th century, when the Mona Lisa toured the United States and Japan, you’d be hard pressed to find anyone who wasn’t familiar with the painting!
Today, the painting is once more safely behind glass in the Louvre, where thousands of people visit it every day. And now you know why it’s so well-protected — it’s been stolen before, and after all, it’s only become more priceless since.