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Mona Lisa

In: Film and Music

Submitted By dougb25
Words 830
Pages 4
Brittney Reed
Professor Turner
AR115
27 September 2014

The Mystery Surrounding Mona Lisa Mona Lisa is one of Leonardo da Vinci’s most poetic and famous pictures he painted. Painted in 1503-1505 with oil on a panel, the meaning of this most recognized painting in the world has left many wondering about the portrait’s meaning and why it has changed over time (Harris & Zucker, 2012). The evolution around the Mona Lisa painting has grown over the centuries after it was completed. This and many other of Leonardo da Vinci’s painting and writing has became ever so popular because of who the artist is and the detail and technique that he used in them. Another reason the it fascinates me and many others is when you are looking into her eyes they seem to follow you where ever you move. This gives an erie feeling that people in the recent decades thrive for in today’s decade. The painting is also very mysteries. Who is Mona Lisa? Who was she posing for? What is the little smirk on her face? As most of the portraits that were see in that era there are no smiling faces, a blank look if you will. Many say that Mona Lisa is the wife of a Florentine merchant and the painting was intended for her husband (Harris & Zucker, 2012). After Leonardo had finished the painting it was never given to the husband and Leonardo decided to keep it for himself as he went to work for the King of France, Francis I and why that is to this day remains a mystery (Harris & Zucker, 2012). Portraits were very rare in the era of the 1500’s. If there was a portrait, it was most likely the only portrait in that person’s lifetime and symbolized one’s status or position (Harris & Zucker, 2012). Leonardo painted Mona Lisa in a different style from what was seen in the 1500’s. Commonly, portraits were painted fresco or tempera, making them look more flat , and Mona Lisa was painted with

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