HISTORYThe Mona Lisa is 16th century oil painting created by the renowned Leonardo da Vinci. The work of art depicts an enigmatic woman gazing at the viewer, and it is said that if you move across the room while looking into her eyes, they’ll follow you. It is definitely one of the most popular paintings worldwide and has been the center of many artistic, religious, and theoretical debates. The French government currently owns the Mona Lisa and it is featured at the Musee du Louvre in Paris. The painting can also be referred to as La Gioconda or La Joconde.

The name of the painting stems from the name of the woman in the portrait, Lisa Gherardini, the wife of a wealthy businessman in Florence, Italy named Francesco del Giocondo. Mona means ‘my lady’ or ‘madam’ in modern Italian, so the title is simply Madam Lisa. Art historians agree that Leonardo da Vinci likely began painting the Mona Lisa in 1503, and completed it within 4 years. In 1516 the King of France, King Francois, bought the painting and it is thought that after Leonardo’s death the painting was cut down. Some speculators think that the original had columns on both sides of the lady, whereas other art critics believe that the painting was never cut down in size. It has been suggested that there were 2 versions of the Mona Lisa painting, but many historians reject the second version. The duplicate copy can be found at the Dulwich Picture Gallery. After the French revolution the painting was moved to the Louvre, and Napoleon had it placed in his bedroom for a short time before it was returned to the Louvre. The popularity of the Mona Lisa increased in the mid 19th century because of the Symbolist movement. The painting was thought to encompass a sort of feminine mystique.

In 1911 the Mona Lisa was stolen from the Louvre. The art thief hid in a broom closet until the museum closed, stole the painting, hid it under his jacket and walked out the front door. Eduardo de Valfierno was the mastermind behind the theft and has planned to make copies of the original and sell them as the real thing. Eventually, in 1913, he was caught when trying to sell the original to a Florence art dealer. The Mona Lisa is most famous for her facial expression, her enigmatic smile and da Vinci’s mastering of tone and color in the painting. There is much mythology and interpretations relating to the painting that mystify the world. Many art critics and art history buffs suggest that the Mona Lisa is actually a portrait of da Vinci himself in feminine form. In addition, most viewers see the meaning behind Mona Lisa’s smile very differently.

MYSTERYWho is Mona Lisa?Many questions arose over the years as to the true identity of the lady in the portrait. The Italians call her La Gioconda, which means 'the light-hearted woman'. The French version, La Joconde, carries a similar meaning, provoking many thoughts and theories about the Mona Lisa's smile. One popular theory suggests that the lady is the Duchess of Milan, Isabella of Aragon. Da Vinci was the family painter for the Duke of Milan for 11 years and could very well have painted the Duchess as the Mona Lisa. Other researchers have stated that the painting could depict a mistress of Giuliano de' Medici, who reigned in Florence from 1512 to 1516. A more recent thought by Dr. Lillian Schwartz of Bell Labs is that the Mona Lisa is the feminine version of Da Vinci himself. Through digital analysis, she discovered that Da Vinci's facial characteristics and those of the Mona Lisa are perfectly aligned with one another. Despite the above theories, it is currently widely accepted that the portrait depicts Lisa Gherardini, the third wife of a wealthy Florentine silk merchant named Francesco del Giocondo. In fact, the title Mona Lisa is discussed in Da Vinci's biography, written and published by Giorgio Vasari in 1550. Vasari pointed out that Mona is commonly used in place of the Italian word Madonna, which could be translated into English as 'Madam'. Hence, the title Mona Lisa simply means 'Madam Lisa'.How does she smile?Mona Lisa's enigmatic smile has been the source of inspiration for many and a cause for desperation in others. In 1852, Luc Maspero, a French artist, jumped four floors to his death from a hotel room in Paris. His suicide note explained that he preferred death after years of struggling to understand the mystery behind Mona Lisa's smile. Today, visitors to the Musée du Louvre grapple with the same question: how does she smile?Italians respond to this query by referring to a painting technique called sfumato, which was developed by Da Vinci. In Italian, sfumato means 'vanished' or 'smoky', implying that the portrait is ambiguous and blurry, leaving its interpretation to the viewers' imagination. This technique uses a subtle blend of tones and colors to produce the illusion of form, depth, and volume. Dr. Margaret Livingstone, a neuroscientist at Harvard, explains that the human eyes consist of two regions – the fovea, or central area, and the surrounding peripheral area. The fovea recognizes details and colors and reads fine print, while the peripheral area identifies shadows, black and white, and motion. When a person looks at the Mona Lisa, the fovea focuses on her eyes, leaving the peripheral area on her mouth. Since peripheral vision is less accurate and does not pick up details, the shadows in Mona Lisa's cheekbones augment the curvature of her smile. However, when the viewer looks directly at the mouth of the Mona Lisa, the fovea does not pick up the shadows, and the portrait no longer appears to be smiling. Therefore, the appearance and disappearance of Mona Lisa's smile is really an attribute of viewers' vision. In spite of the many revelations from years of research, the Mona Lisa remains an enigma today. The brilliant strokes of Da Vinci's paintbrush have ensured that she continues to evoke wonder, admiration, and inspiration in all who lay eyes upon her.

AFTER THE READING CHOOSE THE CORRECT ANSWER

I part

1. Let's begin with an easy one. Who was the famous painter who created the masterpiece of "Mona Lisa"?

Monet

Rembrandt

Picasso

Leonardo da Vinci

2. Where does the painting hang today?

The Galleria Corsini in Italy

The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York

The Louvre Museum in France

The Smithsonian in Washington D.C.

3. What was the real name of the woman who posed as "Mona Lisa"?

Mona Lisa Giocondo

Lisa Gherardini Giocondo

Lisa di Mona Baletto

Materassino ad Aria

4. What was the "Mona Lisa" painted on?

sheep skin

canvas

poplar wood panel

papyrus board

5. When was the "Mona Lisa" stolen?

1510

1886

1798

1911

6. Was the "Mona Lisa" insured when she was returned after being stolen?

Yes

No

7. Approximately how many people visit the "Mona Lisa" each year?

7.9 million

6 million

4.5 million

950, 000

8. During World War II, was the "Mona Lisa" taken out of the museum for her safety?

Yes

No

9. One of the reasons that the "Mona Lisa" is considered such an amazing painting is due to the revolutionary new technique Leonardo used. What was it?

blending light and shade

blending of 'warm' and 'cool' colors

blending foreground with background

blending of background objects

10. Other artists have made many reproductions and alterations to the painting. Who was the artist that added a mustache and goatee on

"Mona Lisa"?

Marcel Duchamp

John Bourbonnais

Pierre Avergne

Erik Van Wiselberg

II part

1.  What is Italian term for the Mona Lisa?

______________________________________________________________________

2.  What is French term for the Mona Lisa?

______________________________________________________________________

3.  In what century was the Mona Lisa painted?

______________________________________________________________________

4.  What type of paint medium was used in the Mona Lisa painting?

______________________________________________________________________

5.  What type of panel was the Mona Lisa painted in?

______________________________________________________________________

6.  What is the title of the Mona Lisa painting in the Louvre?

______________________________________________________________________

7.  What is the size of the Mona Lisa painting?

______________________________________________________________________

8.  What years was the Mona Lisa painted?

______________________________________________________________________

14.  How old was she, when she had been portrayed?

______________________________________________________________________

I part

1.- Leonardo da Vinci2.- The Louvre Museum in France

3.- Lisa Gherardini Giocondo4.- poplar wood panel

5.- 19116.- no

7.- 6 million8.- yes

9.- blending light and shade10.- Marcel Duchamp