Mona Lisa
...trait and merged the two images together using a computer. She noticed the features of the face aligned perfectly (Da Vinci Morph Internet np). Pinquilly, researcher of Renaissance Art, supports Dr. Schwartz’s theory that the Mona Lisa is indeed Da Vinci (54). The identity of whom Da Vinci’s sitter will remain debatable till new concrete evidence can support one of the many theories put forth. The world may never know the answer to the Mona Lisa’s well hidden identity, but her background creates reactions of amazement that takes its own credit of wonder away from her identity. Leonardo had chosen to provide the figure of Mona Lisa with a background that seems odd as anything from a dream world. Throughout the years, no one has dared cleaned the portrait for fear of erasing any detail from his miraculous scenery and subject. (Wasserman 110). Da Vinci painted the Mona Lisa on pine wood (Da Vinci Morph Internet np), and its form is “built from layers of gazes so gossamer-thin that the entire panel seems to glow with a gentle light from within” (Janson 492). Although the painting is old, the background can still be seen clearly. Mike Venezia, author Da Vinci, said the background was something out of a “science fiction or fairy tale world” (28). But in the mist of the fantasy world, Wasserman saw evidence of an elevated structure, like a bridge to the right side of the painting, whose presence seem to suggest life existed in this desolate atmosphere (110). Yves Pinquilly, author of Da Vinci, said: In this painting, Leonardo achieved something astounding; the complete fusion of light and life. Night falls in the distance. The landscape’s rocky outcroppings delineate a place of death where ancient human fears reside. It is a desolate spot into which Leonardo introduces a redeeming love - imposing upon it, painting against it this woman who would be the work’s only sun, whose presence holds back the night that wants to fall. Far from her being, nature is extinguished and in the landscape, she alone exhibits in all its fullness (54). The background is not the only interesting part of the painting, for every human feature of the Mona Lisa is given high acclaims of excellency, starting with her hands that draws the attention with its brightly lit colors that makes it seem so real. Breaking from traditional earlier works, the hands of the Mona Lisa is a masterpiece on its own. Da Vinci had assigned a significant role to the hands of his figures and the Mona Lisa’s hands indicate the great care that the artist accorded to them. Leonardo’s older works had showed the hands in a slender, long fashion (Wasserman 114). Working towards perfection, Leonardo had studied the shapes and structures of the hands closely, so that he could paint them with confidence (Mason 21). As a form of experimentation, Leonardo remodeled the hands of the Mona Lisa. Leonardo had made the Mona Lisa’s hands stockier and shorter by comparison to his older paintings. Biographer Jack Wasserman said, “they [the hands] are conceived as round, regular volumes in space, as is the rest of the body; the strain is gone and what remains is a studied casualness and repose, reflecting the sense of tranquillity that governs the figure as a whole” (114). The delicate shape, curve, and positioning of the crossed hands lying softly upon one another demonstrate Da Vinci’s greatness in achieving new styles that will be imitated by aspiring artists to come. A wonder that draws an abundance of fans to this portrait alone, is the enchanting smile the Mona Lisa displays to her public. Her smile, indeed, has captured several admirers with a sense of disbelief and chill, as the expression on her lovely face seems to change with that of our mood. H.W. Janson analyzed Mona Lisa’s compelling smile saying, “[her] smile could be read in two ways: as the echo of a momentary mood, [or] a timeless, symbolic expression” (493). Anthony Mason, an art critique of the Louvre Museum in Paris, tried describing the smile by saying it was in a way “elegant and tranquil” (21). There has also been boast though, that the smile was merely a mask to cover up a toothache (McMullen 378). Leonardo projected an assorted variety of different personalities from the play of lighting and shadow of the Mona Lisa's soft lips. According to Wallace, an expert in expressionistic art, the Mona Lisa’s appearance can be described as “voluptuous and cold, beautiful, but faintly repulsive” (127). There was also claims that when the artist painted the Mona Lisa he had “singers, bellringers, and buffoons to keep her cheerful and entertained thus producing a smile so pleasant that it was more divine than humans can behold” (Lyon 15). The Mona Lisa is said to smile only on one side, or at least only half smiles, that is not directed straight at the spectator (McMullen 76). It seems that the smile produce refuses interpretation, making it harder to decipher the Mona Lisa’s expression. However one interprets the expression we can all agree that it is her smile that brings forth a special quality that no other painting can compare. The smile takes away viewers’ heart, but it is the state at which she sits and her eyes that will mesmerize them into her dream world of unsolved mysteries. Mona Lisa’s sitting position along with her deep piercing ga...