Analysis Of The Mona Lisa Portrait By Leonardo Da Vinci

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In the Renaissance period, portraits were taken only of the wealthiest members of the society. The perfection of such portraits took hours, days and even years to achieve; this is evident in the Mona Lisa portrait by Leonardo Da Vinci. It has become famous and iconic symbol of the Renaissance period. The mysterious smile is the inspiration of many painters, writers and singers. It depicts his unique style influenced by techniques in his period; through it, he perfected his sfumato technique.
The painting stands out due to its realistic perception; through the mastered skills and talent Da Vinci created a fascinating painting. The Mona Lisa depicts an image of an elegant woman with a calm yet haunting look on her face. The techniques used show a smile that seems to come from within; this is evident on her lips and in her eyes (UGDSB, 12). She is wearing a dark veil on her hair, and she is making eye contact with the viewer. In the background there is valleys, lake, and bridge. The Mona Lisa’s eyes, head, and torso are turned towards the viewer. The small painting fits within a 30” by 20.5” frame; the oil painting occurs on poplar wood panel. Da Vinci places the subject in a central position using the pyramid design. It is a product of his mathematical perception; this helped in creating a realistic likeness of Mona Lisa, and it helped in bringing the viewer’s attention to certain parts of the painting. His scientific observations and study of human anatomy provided him with a system of determining size and balance in the space.
A light tone occurs in the depiction of her hands, chest, neck and face. It is used alongside geometric shapes like spheres and circles, evident in the painting. The contours are smooth making the outline u...

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...ds. It involves the use of Chiaroscuro; a painting style focusing on the contrast of value. The technique uses light and shadow in making figures appear real and full; a three-dimensional perspective evident in Mona Lisa’s skin tone (UGDSB, 6). Da Vinci engaged in the use of natural colors throughout his painting.
The Mona Lisa was painted during Da Vinci’s late years before moving to France, it remains a subject of inspiration for many artists worldwide. It is most likely that this painting made Leonardo da Vinci famous. The fine details make a unique depiction of Da Vinci’s talent, high Renaissance period styles, because you can see that he used sfumato and high contrast from light to dark. He painted with natural tones. He loved nature, and he would include it in the background. The painting of Mona Lisa remains a significant influence to the history of art.

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