For That Mona Lisa Strangeness in Your Smile
The Leonardo Da Vinci painting "Mona Lisa" has received its first scientific analysis in 50 years (the first being after it's vandalization in 1956)through high tech digital "disection" of the painting. The analysis showed that Da Vinci changed his mind about quite a few things during the creation of the portrait. Despite the fact that most of these "secrets" were painted over or "hidden" one major one was in plain sight.
The sitter (believed to be Lisa Gherardini, wife of a florentine silk merchant who had recently given birth to her third child) was originally painted wearing a large transparent robe made of gauze that was usually worn by women nursing or expecting. On the right side of the painting the fragment of the robe is noticeable although appears to be part of the background. Other details that were changed were the hair of the model (originally half pulled into a small bun and under a bonnet with a veil covering half of the models face...obvious to the flirting modesty of that time) and that considerable amounts of grime collected over the centuries had collected on the painted obscuring certain details (yech).
Another interesting detail is the most well known and used analogy that came out of the painting. The smile. Despite the serene quality that came to be the painting was originally a bit more tense. The hands of the sitter at some point were clenched as though she were about to rise from her seat. Another is how sturdy the actual painting is. Unlike most very old and some uncleaned paintings it is not at all delicate. (SUPER STRONG DIRT!)
The digital analysis also begins to show the techniques that Da Vinci used. He layered very thin layers of paint. The darker paint is shown to be heaviest around her eyes and mouth while other darker layers are comparitively much thinner.
They hope to discover more on the technique as they progress.
In my own news, I am sick...again lol. So I'm spending my time talking to my mooching and mooing dog Muzzy and blue siamese fighting fish Yule (Brenner).
The past few days have been beautiful and it is most definitely fall. My favorite holiday is coming in only a few short weeks. So, of course must put together some strange costume. Will do, will do. :)
Hope everyone around on blogger has a great day and a great week!
Have some Wainwright.
...such a great song :)
The sitter (believed to be Lisa Gherardini, wife of a florentine silk merchant who had recently given birth to her third child) was originally painted wearing a large transparent robe made of gauze that was usually worn by women nursing or expecting. On the right side of the painting the fragment of the robe is noticeable although appears to be part of the background. Other details that were changed were the hair of the model (originally half pulled into a small bun and under a bonnet with a veil covering half of the models face...obvious to the flirting modesty of that time) and that considerable amounts of grime collected over the centuries had collected on the painted obscuring certain details (yech).
Another interesting detail is the most well known and used analogy that came out of the painting. The smile. Despite the serene quality that came to be the painting was originally a bit more tense. The hands of the sitter at some point were clenched as though she were about to rise from her seat. Another is how sturdy the actual painting is. Unlike most very old and some uncleaned paintings it is not at all delicate. (SUPER STRONG DIRT!)
The digital analysis also begins to show the techniques that Da Vinci used. He layered very thin layers of paint. The darker paint is shown to be heaviest around her eyes and mouth while other darker layers are comparitively much thinner.
They hope to discover more on the technique as they progress.
In my own news, I am sick...again lol. So I'm spending my time talking to my mooching and mooing dog Muzzy and blue siamese fighting fish Yule (Brenner).
The past few days have been beautiful and it is most definitely fall. My favorite holiday is coming in only a few short weeks. So, of course must put together some strange costume. Will do, will do. :)
Hope everyone around on blogger has a great day and a great week!
Have some Wainwright.
...such a great song :)
posted by vanillabirdies at
3:08 PM
6 Comments:
I just checked in at MM and found little vanilla birdie feathers there. :)
You left a very sweet message and I came here to thank you. I drive up and see you have a new post up, so I read it. Mona Lisa's mystery seems to grow the more we know about her. May be time to rework the words in the song.
PoP is so right.Your parent/guardian must be very proud.
I have learned to smile like her in situations when I feel like openin up a can a dixie whoop-ass on somebody. Works every time.
Get well soon VB. This was a wonderful article about La Gianconda and her creator. It tells me what was always suspected: The artist was seeing a great deal more than the sitter actually wanted shown. It's hard to keep secrets when a genius is painting your portrait.
Thanks!
Now if only we all could be genius painters...though there wouldn't be any secrets..would that be good or just way too truthful?
VB, I think human beings need some secrets just to survive as individuals. Understanding the the feeling you've found a kindred spirit are wonderful, but even there a little mystery that allows you to discover more is desireable.
On the level of meeting strangers or in the middle of a disagreement with loved ones, would you really want to hear what others were thinking at the instant they were thinking it before they had time to edit or modify the thought?
Very true, some people do not have that filter and it can be painful to be around them.
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