7-1 Project
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Southern New Hampshire University *
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Arts Humanities
Date
Jan 9, 2024
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docx
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Uploaded by DeaconCranePerson695
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7-1 Project
Southern New Hampshire University
Perspectives in the Humanities
19 February 2023
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7-1 Project
My chosen cultural work is the painting "Mona Lisa" by Leonardo Da Vinci. I was first
introduced to this masterpiece during my days in high school when a few artists came and gave a
speech on different art techniques, and a few of his paintings were being displayed on a
PowerPoint in my art class. Mona Lisa, also called Portrait of Lisa Gherardini, wife of Francesco
del Giocondo, Italian La Gioconda, or French La Joconde, is an oil painting on a poplar wood
panel by Leonardo da Vinci, probably the world's most famous painting (Wigington,2019). It was
painted sometime between 1503 and 1519 when Leonardo was living in Florence, and it now
hangs in the Louvre Museum Paris, where it remained an object of pilgrimage in the 21st
century. The word
mona
is a colloquial version of the Italian word for
madam
or
ma'am,
thus the
title
Mona Lisa.
A few characteristics that stand out to me in the painting are the unique art techniques
that Leornado used and the enigmatic smile that Mona Lisa displayed. The painting of the Mona
Lisa always looked very realistic to me, and I soon learned that Leonardo used an artistic
technique called
sfumato. Sfumato
is a technique that uses subtle gradations of light and shadow
to model form and shows his understanding of the skull beneath the skin (Wigington, 2019). This
technique shows his understanding of musculature and the skull under the skin. The delicately
painted veil and careful rendering of folded fabric show how Leonardo studied observations and
unlimited patience. Another characteristic I noticed is the small cracks in the painting. The small
cracks are called
craquelure
and appear throughout the painting. I found this technique
fascinating and learned that "craquelure" comes from the French word
craqueler
meaning" to
chap." These cracks are extremely useful in paintings because they can help determine the age,
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provide information about the color, and differentiate fakes. Lastly, I have always been intrigued
by Mona Lisa's mysterious smile. From one viewpoint, she looks cheery, and from another, she
looks unhappy.
Leonardo da Vinci's painting of the Mona Lisa represents a feeling of happiness. What I
mean is that although her smile shows a hidden meaning behind it, Leonardo uses sfumato which
allows tones and colors to blend, creating an illusion effect. Leonardo was known as the painter
of smiles in his time. He painted honest women with a smile to remind them they were
courageous, outstanding, and divine. This painting represents the idea of happiness suggested by
the word "Gioconda" in Italian. Leonardo made this notion of happiness the central idea of the
portrait. His deep wisdom as an artist, scientist, and poet has created a new formula for
illustrating work as mysterious but with an appearance of life. The Mona Lisa is proof of a living
enigma. It is well known for integrating an image landscape and using aerial perspective, making
it still the most successful work today.
Leonardo's genius embodied the Renaissance humanist ideal, and his collective works
contributed to later generations of artists. The Mona Lisa is Leonardo da Vinci's most
recognizable piece, showing that he is an ideal Renaissance man. The Mona Lisa shows the
Renaissance ideals of secularism, realism, and individualism. The Mona Lisa is an illustrative
example of Leonardo Da Vinci showing the primary Renaissance significance in his work. The
influence of the Mona Lisa on the Renaissance and later times has been tremendous in
contemporary portrait painting. Leonardo's preliminary drawings also encouraged other artists to
make more free studies for their paintings.
Overall, The Mona Lisa greatly impacted people
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during the Renaissance period by allowing them to express themselves differently through art
and creativity.
Some questions I would like to know regarding my cultural work are:
What is the true meaning behind Mona Lisa's enigmatic smile and why does it have such
big impact on different cultures? Why did Leonard da Vinci paint Mona Lisa with a fainted
smile? How did Leonardo da Vinci's painting of Mona Lisa change the relationship between art
and culture? What is the real significance of the painting of Mona Lisa, and what impact does it
have? Lastly, how does the painting of Mona Lisa convey human culture and expression in
society?
The overall harmony achieved in the painting is especially noticeable in Lisa Gherardini's
faint smile reflecting Leonardo's idea of the heavenly link connecting humanity and nature,
making this painting a continuing record of Leonardo's vision which is what he intended to
express. The Mona Lisa set the standard for all future portraits in its exquisite synthesis of sitter
and landscape. While I recognized it as a great work of art, I still only saw it as a portrait
painting among others and never understood its popularity. I better understood why specific
creations were considered masterpieces. I looked beyond the fact that the Mona Lisa was a
painting and learned how much it impacted people from different cultures.
I would study more about Da Vinci's background during the renaissance period to better
understand his culture and how the painting of the Mona Lisa impacted the world. There have
been many speculations regarding the true meaning behind Moan Lisa's smile. I would have to
learn more about her origin to find the meaning behind her mysterious smile and how it
positively affected society. To help with finding the information to address my questions, I will
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start by reading articles about Leonardo Da Vinci and Lisa Gherardini from credible sources to
understand their culture further. Then I can find the connection between their culture and the
painting. Some key terms I can use for further guidance are Quatrocento, Ginevra de Benci,
Mona Lisa, and Leonardo da Vinci.
We need to express ourselves through created works because we are social creatures who
want to share our ideas, emotions, and experiences with others. Creating something lets us use
our creativity and express ourselves in a way that words cannot. Creating something is often
about expressing who we are, how we look at the world, or what motivates us. The Renaissance
cultivated a new art, knowledge, and culture change. This era was so influential that it changed
the way the world thought, with new inventions, styles, and explorations still occurring today.
"Renaissance Man" refers to the admiringly significant people who shaped this period. Leonardo
da Vinci's painting of the Mona Lisa was created during the Renaissance, and Humanism was a
big theme. Da Vinci applied his scientific knowledge to every aspect of life. His inventions and
methods were remarkable for his time, but his artwork was theatrical and meaningful. There is
immense gratitude for this period. The resources provided in module five helped me inform my
explanation by thinking more profoundly about my cultural work and its role in being more
open-minded to different perspectives.
The act of human creative expression can impact and be impacted by the culture in which
it was created. Creativity influences culture in many ways. Creativity may lead to new
development, impacting people's lives. Creativity encourages us to look at things differently and
question old beliefs to innovate and develop explanations that meet current needs. The Mona
Lisa has a more extensive relationship between human and creative expression regarding culture
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because it was painted with no sign of emotion, leaving viewers to analyze their assumption, for
instance, whether she is optimistic or melancholy. The concept of society and how we analyze
artwork can help us inform big questions. The articles in module six were helpful regarding my
explanation because they gave a more in-depth aspect of human culture and how forming big
questions can influence creative expressions.
Art is the expression of human creativity and vision. Whether a poem, musical, or art, it
captures ideas that represent emotions. It opens our hearts and minds bringing out hidden parts of
ourselves that we did not know existed. It allows recognition of individuality, giving us the
ability to express ourselves. Also, it can help draw out what is already there within hidden skills,
and inner abilities can appear. Anyone can make something meaningful, and there are numerous
ways to show expression that can leave an impact on people. From the article I read about The
Mona Lisa in the Shapiro Library, the painting shows the Renaissance ideals of secularism and
realism. These are issues that are experienced in the present day. Secularism can be expressed
through the creative expression of how people worship today and their beliefs, and realism can
be expressed through songs, poetry, and paintings.
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References:
Mona Lisa.
(n.d). Britannica.
https://www.britannica.com/topic/Mona-Lisa-painting
The Mona Lisa
. (n.d). Loenardo da Vinci.
https://www.leonardodavinci.net/the-mona-lisa.jsp
Wigington, P. ( 2019, September 30).
Why is the Mona Lisa Famous?
ThoughtCo.
https://www.thoughtco.com/why-is-the-mona-lisa-so-famous-4587695