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Mona Lisa and the Nude Woman by Da Vinci
Few paintings in history have received as much discussion, debate and parody than has Leonardo da Vinci's Mona Lisa. Believed to have been painted between 1503-1506, its mystery remains locked into the wry grin that crosses the Mona Lisa's lips. This is the distinguishing feature of what may well be the most famous portrait in the world. But upon closer consideration of this painting, as well as of The Nude Woman, a painting that is often identified as a slight variation of the original Mona Lisa, we can see that the playful smirk on the subject's face is only part of what makes her such a compelling muse.
In attempting to understand just precisely what the subject of this painting meant to the Italian Renaissance artist who captured her, it is useful to attempt to determine the identity of the figure. This is quite frequently debated, but the pale complexion and the almost angelic features suggest a woman of some nobility. This presumption is given credence by a number of sources, including the site Da Vinci Life (2009), which reports that "it is said that the painting was commissioned by the wealthy silk merchant Francesco del Giocondo and his wife Lisa. The couple wanted it for their new home, and to mark the birth of their second child. Many believe that the woman in the painting is indeed Lisa del Giocondo. However, the debate still continues today." (p. 1)
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Indeed, one of the characteristics which makes the painting so iconic is the sharp juxtaposition between the playfulness in her half-smile and the seriousness in her eyes. It has been suggested by some more recent scholars that the moment captured here may not be of a specific female subject. According to Watt (2010), "Leonardo da Vinci's Mona Lisa is arguably the most famous portrait in the world, but now some are speculating that the woman with the inscrutable smile may not be a woman after all. They are suggesting that the Mona Lisa may be a self-portrait" (Watt, p. 1)
It is difficult to ascertain that this theory has any credibility at all, but through comparisons with the wide array of self-portraits that Da Vinci did leave for us, some scholars suggest this may have been the artist's true intent. In either event, it is also the case that questions about the identity and attitude of the portrait's subject have invoked the centuries of dialogue that make the painting so famous. Sometimes overlooked in this discussion are the visual characteristics of the painting itself. Painted in muted tones which ultimately accentuate the lightness of the subject's skin, the portrait is framed by a hazy but complex natural landscape.…
Works Cited:
Da Vinci Life. (2009). La Giaconda: Mona Lisa History. Leonardo Da Vinci's Life.
Lorenzi, R. (2009). Nude, Mona Lisa-like Painting Surfaces. NBC News.
Watt, N. (2010). Is Da Vinci's Mona Lisa a Self-Portrait. ABC News.
Witcombe, C. (2008). Leonardo's Life, Art, and Writings. Sweet Briar College.
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