MONA LISA

La Gioconda
  is a 16th
century portrait painted
in oil on
a poplarpanel by Leonard
o da Vinci during
the Italian Renaissance.
The work is owned by the
Government of
France and is on the wall
in
the Louvre in Paris, Fran
ce with the title Portrait
ofLisa Gherardini, wife of
Francesco del Giocondo.
The size is 20 7/8" x 30",
oil on poplar wood.
Subject and title
 Mona Lisa is named for Lisa del
Giocondo, a member of the Gherardini
family of Florence and Tuscany and the
wife of wealthy Florentine silk merchant
Francesco del Giocondo. The painting was
commissioned for their new home and to
celebrate the birth of their second son,
Andrea.
ORIGINALITY AND
BACKGROUND
 The painting was among the first portraits to
depict the sitter before an imaginary landscape.
The enigmatic woman is portrayed seated in what
appears to be an open loggia with dark pillar
bases on either side. Behind her a vast landscape
recedes to icy mountains. Winding paths and a
distant bridge give only the slightest indications of
human presence. The sensuous curves of the
woman's hair and clothing, created
through sfumato, are echoed in the undulating
imaginary valleys and rivers behind her.
 The blurred outlines, graceful figure,
dramatic contrasts of light and dark, and
overall feeling of calm are characteristic of
Leonardo's style. Due to the expressive
synthesis that Leonardo achieved between
sitter and landscape it is arguable
whether Mona Lisa should be considered
as a traditional portrait, for it represents an
ideal rather than a real woman.
THE MISSING FACIAL HAIR
 Mona Lisa has no visible facial hair—
including eyebrows and eyelashes. Some
researchers claim that it was common at
this time for genteel women to pluck them
out, since they were considered to be
unsightly. For modern viewers the missing
eyebrows add to the slightly semi-abstract
quality of the face.
MONA LISA’S
CONTROVERSY
 Although the sitter has traditionally been
identified as Lisa del Giocondo, a lack of
definitive evidence had long fueled alternative
theories, including the possibility that Leonardo
used his own likeness. However, on January 14,
2008, German academics of Heidelburg
University made public a finding that
corroborates the traditional identification: dated
notes scribbled into the margins of a book by its
owner on October 1503 established Lisa de
Giocondo as the model for the painting.
LISA’S PREGNANCY
 It was found, after extensive infrared
reflectography, that Lisa herself had a haze
around her clothing indictative of a
guarnello, the attire worn by pregnant
women. Another theory proposed by
various health professionals was that
Leonardo's representation of her hands as
slightly 'large' was further indicative of
Lisa's pregnancy.
MONA LISA’S SMILE
 The word "giocondo" is not only a
family name, but also an Italian
word meaning "jovial" or "self-
amused." As it happens,
enigmatic facial expressions –
especially smiles – are
something of a Da Vinci
trademark. Yet this particular
smile has sparked hot debate for
nearly five hundred years.
 Mona Lisa' s smile is primarily one of
happiness, according to a computer
analysis performed at the University of
Amsterdam.
 It is 83% Happiness, 9% Disgust, 6% Fear,
and 2% Anger, according to the UA
Scientist Nicu Sebe
 Whatever Leonardo's
intentions, millions
have seen the same
smile, yet responded in
many different ways. Is
it a muted grimace? Or
a smirk? Or perhaps as
Freud deduced, it is
simply the smile of
Leonardo's mother.
Interesting Facts About the
Mona Lisa
 Da Vinci started to work at this painting in 1503
 He spent four years on the portrait
 It is painted on 77 x 53 cm poplar wood
 He never sold the portrait
 It has been suggested that the portrait of the Mona
Lisa is in fact Leonardo's female version of himself
 August 22, 1911 - Mona Lisa was stolen but soon
recovered
 In 1956 an acid attempt damaged the lower half of the
painting, the restoration took several years
What's the deal with Mona
Lisa's smile?
 Harvard neuroscientist Margaret Livingstone is
pretty sure she's solved the puzzle. Presuming
nothing, Livingstone reasoned that the famous
portrait's flickering smile is caused by the way we
see.
 Our eyes use two separate regions to see. One is
the fovea, a central area used to see colors and
pick out details such as fine print. The area
around the fovea is better at detecting motion,
shadows, and stark, black and white contrasts.
Secrets of Mona Lisa Revealed
 A zoomed-in image of Mona Lisa's left
eye revealed a single brush stroke in the
eyebrow region, Cotte said. Therefore
signifying that Mona Lisa has an eyebrow!
 change in the position of the left index and
middle finger.
 The blanket covering Mona Lisa's knees
also covers her stomach.
 The left finger was not completely finished.
 A blotch mark on the corner of the eye and
chin are varnish accidents, countering
claims that Mona Lisa was sick.
 The Mona Lisa was painted on uncut poplar
board, contrary to speculations.
PREPARED BY: GROUP 4

Matthew U. Gopez Darwin Batiao

Charmaine Manlapaz Angela Panlilio
Allyssa Abasolo Chantal Panlilio
Leiandro Canazza Jerome Sundiang
Park Sol