Mona Lisa and the Nude oman 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 oman, 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…...

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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.

He addressed her simply as "madam," refusing to grant ownership of the face he addressed to the wife of the Gioconda merchant it was rumored had modeled for the painting, querying her as to the secrets she so impishly withheld.
"I have studied you, I have studied Leonardo your creator and God, and still you only smile, never so much as a whisper stirring your lips," the Emperor muttered quietly, his face cast in the flickering shadows that more brightly illuminated the painting across from him. "Like me, da Vinci was a man who knew his worth at a young age, showed his brilliance time and again in many arenas, like me as well -- surely he did not intend for you to keep his secrets!"

But no matter how earnestly the Emperor pleaded, how harshly he chastised or how desperately he begged, the Mona Lisa only smiled in return. Her…...

The controversies around her smile and eyes have generated almost as much research and debate as the painting itself. Anyone who has seen Leonardo's Mona Lisa had the illusion that the Gioconda was staring at them irrespective of their angle. There have been numerous scientists who have attempted to deconstruct this particular aspect, and explain how human sight responds to Mona Lisa's eyes. For instance, Margaret Livingstone, a professor at Harvard University, has argued that the painting is most effective when viewed peripherally, and that Gioconda's smile is most striking when looking directly at her eyes.
Contemporary response was not necessarily favorable to the painting as Leonardo's contemporaries did not consider the Mona Lisa Leonardo's most important work. everal accounts of Italian painting written during the artist's life or a little later, fail even to mention it. For instance, Paolo Giovio, writing shortly after Leonardo's death in 1519, simply states…...

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Sources

Annand Taylor, Rachel. Leonardo the Florentine: A Study in Personality. Richards Press, 1927.

Boas, George. "The Mona Lisa in the History of Taste." Journal of the History of Ideas 1.2 (1940): 207-224.

McCurdy, Edward. The Mind of Leonardo Da Vinci. Dodd, Mead, 1928.

Hegarty, Melinda. "Leonardo Da Vinci, Michelangelo and the Renaissance in Florence." Renaissance Quarterly 59 (2006): 23-37.

The theory speculates that the name Mona Lisa is actually a play on the words Amon-L Isa who is an Egyptian God and an Egyptian Goddess blended together (Why The Mona Lisa Smirks A Book eview of The Da Vinci Code by ev. Marty Fields (http://www.thirdmill.org/newfiles/mar_fields/CH.Fields.WhyTheMonaLisaSmirks.7.9.04.html).
While both of these theories are religiously based there is also a theory that is not based in any religion and that is the theory of a self-portrait. According to this theory the painting of the Mona Lisa is actually a feminine version of a self-portrait by the artist himself.

In the self-portrait theory it is said that the artist painted hidden messages into the painting using symbols (Mystery of the Mona Lisa (http://www.unmuseum.org/leocode.htm).

Whether there will ever be evidence located that can prove or disprove any of the theories surrounding the Mona Lisa painting the world has had a wonderful time loving her, examining her…...

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References

Why The Mona Lisa Smirks

Book Review of The Da Vinci Code by Rev. Marty Fields

 http://www.thirdmill.org/newfiles/mar_fields/CH.Fields.WhyTheMonaLisaSmirks.7.9.04.html 

Mystery of the Mona Lisa  http://www.unmuseum.org/leocode.htm

Recently at least one mystery has been solved. A current article in Reuters Berlin states that Dr. Armin Schlechter has discovered dated notes in the margin of a book in the Heidelberg University Library that confirm that the identity of the Mona Lisa is Lisa del Giocondo wife of the wealthy Florentine merchant of those times, Francesco del Giocondo. (Elgood) Although she has always been the primary candidate, again the mystery that surrounded her origin became part of the aura of excitement that is the Mona Lisa. However, what exactly she is smiling about will always remain, and rightly so, a mystery debatable for the next five hundred years and beyond.
orks Cited

Adams, Laurie. Art and Psychoanalysis. New York: IconEditions, 1993.

Arasse, Daniel. "The Gioconda Code." Queen's Quarterly Summer 2006: 180-187

Elgood, Giles (Ed.) "Mona Lisa' Model Identified, Experts Say" Reuters Berlin 01-14-2008

Gentleman, Amelia. "How She Got Her Smile." The ilson Quarterly…...

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Works Cited

Adams, Laurie. Art and Psychoanalysis. New York: IconEditions, 1993.

Arasse, Daniel. "The Gioconda Code." Queen's Quarterly Summer 2006: 180-187

Elgood, Giles (Ed.) "Mona Lisa' Model Identified, Experts Say" Reuters Berlin 01-14-2008

Gentleman, Amelia. "How She Got Her Smile." The Wilson Quarterly Wntr 2005: 102.

Mona Lisa Smile
The movie "Mona Lisa Smile" has within its plot and theme a number of examples of gender construction, and the characters play out their roles based largely on the concept of the social construction of gender. This paper will delve into how gender roles are portrayed in the film, and the paper will use available literature and critiques of the social construction of gender.

Social Construction of Gender

An article in The Feminist Agenda points out that a social construction does not just appear suddenly in the natural world; instead, a social construction is invented by or created by society. It is invented and developed through "cultural practices and norms" and as it becomes a social construct it may "govern the practices, customs, and rules concerning" the way we understand and use them (Feminist Agenda). The article explains that various social pressures work to "reinforce the idea that gender is…...

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Works Cited

Ebert, Roger. "Mona Lisa Smile [2003]." Retrieved July 30, 2014, from   Sun-Times New Group. June, 2003.http://www.rogerebert.com .

Mona Lisa Smiles. Revolution Studios / Columbia Pictures. Director Mike Newell / Producer

Fredward Johanson. 2003.

Rothenberg, Paula S. Race, Class, and Gender in the United States. New York: Macmillan.

Pioch also comments on the delicate and gradual blending and dissolving of the painting's colors and figures, which da Vinci achieved with the sfumato technique.
An interesting fact of da Vinci's life and attitude towards painting is provided in a biography of the artist by Antonina Vallentin: "Leonardo himself knew that masterpieces are born of [his] fear and doubting." Apparently almost crippled with fear at the start of a new project, da Vinci worked under extreme emotional stress. This makes the calmness of the Mona Lisa all the more striking. My aesthetic response towards the painting has only been strengthened, but not altered, by the background information on its creation and the magnificent artist behind it.

eferences

ATIST NAME: Leonardo da Vinci

ATIST TITLE: The Mona Lisa (La Joconde)

MEDIUM: Oil on panel (wood)

UL: http://www.ibiblio.org/wm/paint/auth/vinci/joconde/joconde.jpg

ADDITIONAL FACTS THAT I COLLECTED on THIS ATWOK THAT ELATE to the ATIST and ATWOK I SELECTED:

Pioch, Nicolas. (2006). "Leonardo…...

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References

ARTIST NAME: Leonardo da Vinci

ARTIST TITLE: The Mona Lisa (La Joconde)

MEDIUM: Oil on panel (wood)

URL:  http://www.ibiblio.org/wm/paint/auth/vinci/joconde/ joconde.jpg

Da Vinci and Michaelangelo
During the Renaissance, artists evolved many of the techniques which are now employed in creating works of art. There are many great artists who came out of this historical time period and while they have somewhat similar techniques and similar subject matters, they all have unique attributes as well. In this time, one of the biggest differences between artists of the Renaissance and ones that came before is the interest that artists had in the human body and the human form. Before this time, people were painted in a flat way, but Renaissance painters tried to make the people seem more realistic, which many were very successful in accomplishing this. Two of the artists in the Renaissance who are considered to be the best are Leonardo da Vinci and Michaelangelo. When looking at their most famous works, "The Mona Lisa" and "The Sistine Chapel Ceiling" respectively, the…...

Maybe that was the message in her eyes: I know you like me and I let you enjoy painting my portrait. I am intelligent, gentle and beautiful and I take no pride in it. Leonardo, you succeeded to present the world with the essence of feminine…...

Art Diminish in an Age of Mechanical eproduction?
Walter Benjamin believes that the aura of an original work of art diminishes in an age of mechanical reproduction because the work of art is decontextualized from its original context as a result of mass production. At first blush, Benjamin's argument seems very compelling. After all, few could argue that seeing a work of art in a majestic setting, like the Louvre, in and of itself a work of art provides an entire experience that simply cannot be captured in a reproduction tea-towel. However, what Benjamin's argument ignores is that people have rarely, if ever, been able to appreciate the context of an original work of art, anyway. Museums do not provide the context that the artist had when creating the artwork. Artists do not work in museums or art galleries. They work in locations, in studios, on the street. Furthermore, artists…...

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References

da Vinci, L., 1509. Mona Lisa. [Painting] (Louvre, Paris).

Michelangelo, 1508-1512. Ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. [Painting] (Sistine Chapel, Vatican

City).

Van Gogh, V., 1889. Self-Portrait with Bandaged Ear. [Painting] (Courtauld Institute Galleries,

Impressions
The Louvre

The Louvre, an architectural masterpiece, has dominated central Paris since the late 12th century. The original structure was gradually dwarfed as the city grew. The dark fortress of the early days was transformed into the modernized dwelling of Francois I and, later, the sumptuous palace of the Sun King, Louis XIV. My online tour of the Louvre allowed me to take a virtual, self-guided, room-by-room tour of the museum. The web site allows navigation through exhibition rooms and galleries and allows one to contemplate the facades of the museum. The first thing one sees before entering the museum is the garden, a delight during any season of the year. It is the perfect place for a relaxing stroll and it offers a range of activities for visitors.

There are more than ten sections in the museum for different kinds of art from all around the world including Near Eastern Antiquities,…...

This conveyance of human nature is part of the work's genius, and what the artist apparently intended to convey -- not greatness, but ordinariness, in contrast to Michelangelo. It is still a masterwork of craft, but of a subtler craft of character as the "Mona Lisa's "blurred outlines, graceful figure, dramatic contrasts of dark and light, and overall feeling of calm are characteristic of Leonardo's style." (Summers, "Mona Lisa," 2004) Although great a craftsman of his respective mediums as Michelangelo, in contrast to Michelangelo's expansive imagination, Leonardo was most of all an excellent observer. He concerned himself with what the eye could see, rather than with purely abstract concepts. (Summers, 2004, da Vinci)
orks Cited

David." Michelangelo. orld Book Online Reference Center. 2004. orld Book, Inc. 16 Oct. 2004. http://www.aolsvc.worldbook.aol.com/wb/Article?id=ar359360.

Mona Lisa." Leonardo. (1503). The Louvre, Paris. http://www.aolsvc.worldbook.aol.com/wb/ExtMedia?id=ar319880&st=Da+Vinci&em=pc006600

Summers, David. "Michelangelo." orld Book Online Reference Center. 2004. orld Book, Inc. 16 Oct. 2004.…...

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Works Cited

David." Michelangelo. World Book Online Reference Center. 2004. World Book, Inc. 16 Oct. 2004. http://www.aolsvc.worldbook.aol.com/wb/Article?id=ar359360.

Mona Lisa." Leonardo. (1503). The Louvre, Paris. http://www.aolsvc.worldbook.aol.com/wb/ExtMedia?id=ar319880&st=Da+Vinci&em=pc006600

Summers, David. "Michelangelo." World Book Online Reference Center. 2004. World Book, Inc. 16 Oct. 2004. http://www.aolsvc.worldbook.aol.com/wb/Article?id=ar359360.

Summers, David. "da Vinci." World Book Online Reference Center. 2004. World Book, Inc. 16 Oct. 2004. http://www.aolsvc.worldbook.aol.com/wb/Article?id=ar319880&st=Da+Vinci

Loss of the Creature
Notice how Rembrandt employed chiaroscuro in his works," began my art history professor. "His technique revolutionized the way that artists portrayed sources of light on the canvas." glanced around me. About twenty students sat neatly behind their desks, faces illuminated eerily by the glow of the overhead projector. The scene was ironic: our professor trying to convey an understanding of chiaroscuro through a painting done five centuries ago, when right before our eyes was a true example of the contrast between light and shadow. Art history is an arena in which the "loss of the creature" is felt most profoundly. In his essay "The Loss of the Creature," Walker Percy notes that biology students are removed twofold from their subjects of study, first by layers of packaging, of labels and names, and second by a confounded array of theories. Similarly, any classroom discussion of art fails to…...

'Offshoring' can occur within the same company and involve movement of work to a different location of that company outside of the United States, or to a different company altogether" (4). Simply put, outsourcing is contracting with an outside company in any location, while offshoring is contracting with a company outside the United States.
Examples of Exclusive holesale Manufacturers

One example of a wholesale manufacturer that sells exclusively is Mona Lisa Fashions Inc. This "is a full-service cut & sew apparel contractor serving the women's, children's and men's apparel markets." They are located in Allentown, Pennsylvania and are encouraging designers not to outsource or offshore their products but to come to them instead. Another example is Sports and Sports International, a company that manufactures sports accessories and apparel. On their website, they announce, "e are one of the most prominent manufacturers, suppliers and exporters of an exclusively broad range of sports…...

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Works Cited

Anderson, William. Kathie Lee's Children. The Free Market. 14.9. 1996. Web.  http://mises.org/freemarket_detail.aspx?control=45 

Brown, Sharon P., and Siegel, Lewis.B. "Mass Layoff Data Indicate Outsourcing and Offshoring Work," Monthly Labor Review. 128.8.3-10. 2005. Print.

Enlow, Sara and Ertel, Danny (2006 May/June) "Achieving Outsourcing Success: Effective Relationship Management," Compensation and Benefits Review 38.3.50-55. Print.

Fashion Bella. Web.  http://www.fashionbella.com/

This was even though he received no immediate remuneration, in terms of money or benefits, from developing such interests. Leonardo's notebooks of this period of his life reveal a spirit of scientific inquiry and a mechanical inventiveness that were centuries ahead of his time.
Ivor Hart makes it clear that Leonardo was far more than a great artist: he had one of the best scientific minds of his time. Perhaps Leonardo's great talent was in observing -- he made careful, painstaking observations of the natural world, such as birds in flight. Such careful observations of the natural world are critical, of course, to the eye of a great artist. But Leonardo's eye enabled him to carry out research of precision as well as beauty, in science as well as art.

Perhaps the real paradox is how separate art and science have become in the modern construction of the disciplines. Leonardo studied…...

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Works Cited

Hart, Ivor. The World of Leonardo da Vinci Man of Science, Engineer and Dreamer of Flight. New York, 1962.

Art Heist Unravels: The Case of the Stolen Masterpieces

In the annals of art crime, the recent theft of a collection of priceless masterpieces from the National Gallery has sent shockwaves through the art world and beyond. The heist, which occurred under the cover of darkness, has left authorities baffled and the public reeling in disbelief.

The Stolen Treasures

The stolen works include some of the most iconic and valuable paintings in history. Among them are "The Starry Night" by Vincent van Gogh, "The Mona Lisa" by Leonardo da Vinci, and "The Girl with a Pearl Earring" by Johannes Vermeer. Their combined value....