mona lisa

[abbie10]

Why is the Mona Lisa so special i really want 2 know

[andy-hughes]

Just to add to Zacmaster's reply - historians have long speculated about whom the painting is based on. The lady is rumoured to be the mistress of a contemporary of Leonardo's, but lack of firm evidence merely adds to the mystiue of this classic work of art.

[vehelpfulguy]

I think some paintings are famous for being famous.

I do not believe it is any better than hundreds of other paintings.

Often the "art world" builds paintings (and other art) up to make it seem the themselves are part of some important business.

That is why sham artists like Damian Hurst can sell "art" for millions of pounds.

[marwel7]

I'm sure I read somewhere that the Mona Lisa is a man.

[*ALFIE*]

..cos i slept with her last night..she's very active!

[gerkin]

active to give - passive to take ?

[derekpara]

The mystery over her smile or non-smile is beacuse of the way Leonardo painted her face.

If you cover one half she appears to have a faint smile; cover the other and there is no smile at all. The two backgrounds to left and right do not match either.

Like most paintings there are usually subtle messages being offered. Don't ask me what, in Mona's case ,but perhaps an art historian can elighten us ?

[LovelyLabrys]

I would just add two other points to those already made.

1 - Da Vinci was known for lots of little painterly tricks and hidden messages, hence the ease with which his work was used for The Da Vinci Code.Some believe that the Mona Lisa may be a self portrait(in the female) of Da Vinci himself as when a famous self portrait of his is overlaid, the features are notably similar.

2 -The Mona Lisa was one painting that Da Vinci never attempted to sell. He took is almost everywhere with him and was indeed with him when he died, which is how it ended up in France. A peice of work that the artist himself rates higher than all of his other works naturally adds interest to the artwork.