I wrote this fun paper about the history of the Mona Lisa as the final project for a writing class. In it, I explore the factors that have contributed to make the work by Leonardo Da Vinci, arguably, the most famous painting of all time.

1. Why the Mona Lisa is
so Famous
by Fran McKain

2. the Mona Lisa, and his fame drew wide attention to
Why the Mona Lisa is so Famous his art. His reputation as a genius was well-
The Mona Lisa, painted by Italian artist deserved. Leonardo lived his motto, “He is a poor
Leonardo Da Vinci, is arguably the most famous pupil who does not surpass his master” and is said
painting of all time. Six million people visit the to have surpassed not only his masters, but all his
Louvre in France every year to view it (Canetti, contemporaries in each of the many arts and
n.d.). Many copies have been made of it. Songs and disciplines to which he committed himself (Potter,
movies and books have referenced it, including the 2006, ¶ 3). Leonardo researched anatomy to perfect
recent phenomenon, The Da Vinci Code, which his art. He dissected animal and human cadavers to
increased traffic at the Louvre so learn the muscle and skeletal
much that the workers went on
 structure and made copious drawings
strike out of sheer frustration As art may imitate and notes. He studied perspective,
nature, she does not
(Bremmer, Tourres, 2007). It is the sky and atmosphere, and the way
appear to be painted,
estimated that the Mona Lisa is but truly of flesh and light falls on curved surfaces and,
blood. On looking
used commercially in some new closely at the pit of based on these studies, refined his
her throat, one could
way every week (Puente, 2006).
swear that the pulses painting methods. Although only a
How did this painting become so were beating few of his paintings survive today,
famous? The fame of the Mona
 his work is still admired by experts
Lisa began because it is an extraordinarily good (Potter, 2006). The Mona Lisa was one of his last
painting by an artist who was a renowned genius, it paintings, and although the work is only 30 inches
grew because it gained the attention of kings and tall and 21 inches wide, he spent four years
that world-class art museum, the Louvre, and it completing it. In this painting, all his skill is
exploded due to a series of near catastrophes, evident.
critics, and exploitations. The rendition of the model in the Mona Lisa
Leonardo Da Vinci was renowned as an is anatomically perfect. The lighting makes the skin
inventive and artistic genius long before he painted look so real that one critic said “” (Potter, 2006, ¶

3. 8). He used such thin layers of paint that no one has Lisa, n.d.). Except for some time hidden in a
figured out how he did it (Jozefowicz, 2007). In this warehouse during the French Revolution, Mona
painting, Leonardo employed a method described Lisa held court in the Louvre almost without
by Pliny that many other artists have attempted and interruption. She did spend a few years in
none have perfected as Leonardo did (Canetti, n.d.). Napoleon’s bedroom (Meanley, 2006), but when he
Art critics call it sfumato, which is Italian for was exiled she returned to the Louvre. In that vast
“smoky”. It involves the use of miniscule brush museum, which now covers 49 acres, thousands of
strokes to create subtle transitions between light and visitors have seen her nearly every day for more
dark and between colors. The work was so far than 200 years (Mona Lisa, n.d.). Her royal
beyond current methods, that it was received with connections and her high visibility in the Louvre
astonishment by all who saw it and attracted great might have been enough to maintain her fame, but a
attention (Potter, 2006). near disaster escalated her popularity off the charts.
Soon after the splash created by Mona Lisa, In 1910, Theophile Homolle, the director of
Francois I, king of France, invited Leonardo to the the National Museums, said that stealing the Mona
palace at Fontainebleau under his patronage. Five Lisa from the Louvre was impossible. “You might
years later Leonardo died, leaving the portrait to his as well pretend that one could steal the towers of
friend. Francois hung it Notre Dame!” he claimed (Mona
prominently in his semi-private  Lisa, n.d., p. 7). When Mona Lisa
gallery in the palace where it When the Mona Lisa disappeared on August 21, 1911,
disappeared, France
gained the attention of visitors was shocked. France was shocked. For two years,
from all over Europe. There  they searched for their national
Mona Lisa acquired an aura of the femme fatale, treasure. Authorities questioned and fired museum
perhaps because part of the gallery was in the king’s employees, accused foreign governments and
boudoir (Mona Lisa, n.d.). Francois’ art collection business tycoons of publicity stunts, and even
formed the foundation of what eventually became brought in Pablo Picasso for questioning. Buffoons
the Louvre Museum which opened in 1793 (Mona made jokes, cartoons, riddles, and songs about

4. Mona Lisa. Someone circulated postcards which 2006). She also became a target for vandals. In
depicted Leonardo taking her out of France 1956, someone spilled acid on the painting and
thumbing her nose at Parisians (Mona Lisa, n.d.). damaged it badly (Leonardo Da Vinci’s Mona Lisa,
The Louvre and various journals offered rewards to 2006). Just a few months later a young man threw a
fortune tellers to foretell what had become of her rock at it which created a small nick. These
(Mona Lisa, n.d.). One of them, perhaps inspired by incidents resulted in even stronger security for the
the fresh disaster of the Titanic, declared that she increasingly precious Mona Lisa.
had been thrown into the sea. But, As the fame and value of the

unlike the “unsinkable” Titanic, Leonardo’s famous Mona Lisa increased, it was not
lady has appears in
the Mona Lisa’s journey was not surprising that, in 1963, First Lady
advertising and
over. promotion for Jacqueline Kennedy asked to bring
everything
On December 10, 1913, a imaginable. her to the United States. It was also
patriotic Italian named Vincenzo  not surprising that the request raised
Perugia, a former Louvre employee, attempted to much consternation. But, Francophile that she was,
sell her to an antique dealer in Italy and was Jacque was popular with the French and secured
apprehended (Mona Lisa, n.d.). He said he wished permission for a seven-week tour in New York City
to return the Mona Lisa to her home country. The and Washington, D.C. On that tour, more than one
Italians enjoyed a brief reunion with her before and a half million people saw the famous painting.
returning her to the Louvre. They didn’t punish In 1974, more than two million people saw her on a
Perugia very hard. tour through Tokyo and Moscow. Ever since then,
The subsequent rise in fame of the Mona people have been collecting “Monalisiana” (Puente,
Lisa made her a target for modern artists such as 2006). Leonardo’s famous lady has appeared in
Marcel Duchamp and Salvador Dali who were advertising and promotion for everything
weary of the tyranny of the classical style (Potter, imaginable. Clearly, Mona Lisa’s colorful past has
2006). Both men painted her with a moustache. earned her superstar status.
Even the villainy increased her popularity (Puente,

5. The famous Leonardo Da Vinci has been Jozefowicz, C. (2007, January 19). Da Vinci
DECODED. (Cover story). Current Science,
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from Academic Search Premier database.
have genius in both art and science, but Leonardo
Leonardo Da Vinci’s Mona Lisa. (2006). Retrieved
did, and for him it was natural to study science to September 10, 2008 from
http://www.leonardo-
figure out how to produce his art. Little wonder that davinci.org/monalisa.php
he should be the man to produce a painting good Meanley, E. (2006, November 13). My Super Sweet
500! [Electronic version]. Scholastic Scope,
enough to become the world’s most famous. 55(6/7), 20-21. Retrieved September 7,
2008, from Academic Search Premier
Mimicked and studied by contemporaries, adulated database.
by kings, romanticized by the crowds in the Louvre, Mona Lisa. (n.d.). Retrieved September 10, 2008,
from
abused and exploited and narrowly escaping http://www.pbs.org/treasuresoftheworld/a_n
av/mona_nav/main_monafrm.html
disaster more than once, the Mona Lisa has become
Potter, P. (2006, August). Art, Science, and Life's
the most famous painting of all time. With such a Enigmas [Electronic version]. Emerging
Infectious Diseases, 12(8), 1308-1309.
combination of factors one wonders whether Retrieved September 7, 2008, from
Academic Search Premier database.
another work could ever surpass her popularity.
Puente, M. (2006, May). 'Mona Lisa' has been
smiling for 500 years [Electronic version].
USA Today, Retrieved September 7, 2008,
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Lisa becomes a picture of misery.
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