Gioconda year of writing. "La Gioconda" (Mona Lisa) by Leonardo da Vinci - a brilliant creation of the master
Mona Lisa by Leonardo da Vinci is one of the most famous works painting all over the world.
Nowadays, this painting is in the Louvre in Paris.
The creation of the painting and the model depicted on it were surrounded by many legends and rumors, and even today, when there are practically no blank spots left in the history of La Gioconda, myths and legends continue to circulate among many not particularly educated people.
Who is Mona Lisa?
The identity of the girl depicted is quite known today. It is believed that this is Lisa Gherardini, a famous resident of Florence who belonged to an aristocratic but impoverished family.
Gioconda is apparently her married name; Her husband was a successful silk merchant, Francesco di Bartolomeo di Zanobi del Giocondo. It is known that Lisa and her husband gave birth to six children and led a measured life, typical of wealthy citizens of Florence.
One might think that the marriage was concluded for love, but at the same time it also had additional benefits for both spouses: Lisa married into a representative of a richer family, and through her Francesco became related to an old family. More recently, in 2015, scientists also discovered the grave of Lisa Gherardini - near one of the ancient Italian churches.
Creating a painting
Leonardo da Vinci immediately took on this order and devoted himself to it completely, literally with some kind of passion. And in further artist was closely attached to his portrait, carried it with him everywhere, and when in late age decided to leave Italy for France, he took with him “La Gioconda” along with several selected works of his.
What was the reason for Leonardo’s attitude towards this painting? There is an opinion that great artist had with Lisa love affair. However, it is possible that the painter valued this painting as an example of the highest flowering of his talent: “La Gioconda” truly turned out to be extraordinary for its time.
Mona Lisa (La Gioconda) photo
It is interesting that Leonardo never gave the portrait to the customer, but took it with him to France, where its first owner was King Francis I. Perhaps this action could be due to the fact that the master did not finish the canvas on time and continued painting the painting already after departure: that Leonardo “never finished” his painting, reports famous writer Renaissance Giorgio Vasari.
Vasari, in his biography of Leonardo, reports many facts about the painting of this painting, but not all of them are reliable. Thus, he writes that the artist created the picture within four years, which is a clear exaggeration.
He also writes that while Lisa was posing, there was a whole group of jesters in the studio entertaining the girl, thanks to which Leonardo was able to portray a smile on her face, and not the sadness that was standard for that time. However, most likely, Vasari composed the story about the jesters himself for the amusement of readers, using the girl’s surname - after all, “Gioconda” means “playing”, “laughing”.
However, it can be noted that Vasari was attracted to this picture not so much by realism as such, but by the amazing rendering of physical effects and the smallest details of the image. Apparently, the writer described the picture from memory or from the stories of other eyewitnesses.
Some myths about the painting
More in late XIX century, Gruye wrote that “La Gioconda” has been literally depriving people of their minds for several centuries. Many people wondered when contemplating this amazing portrait, which is why it became surrounded by many legends.
- According to one of them, in the portrait Leonardo allegorically depicted... himself, which is allegedly confirmed by a coincidence small parts faces;
- According to another, the painting depicts a young man in women's clothing– for example, Salai, Leonardo’s student;
- Another version says that the picture depicts simply an ideal woman, some kind of abstract image. All of these versions are now recognized as erroneous.
Portrait of a lady Lisa del Giocondo(Ritratto di Monna Lisa del Giocondo) was written by Leonardo da Vinci around 1503-1519. It is believed that this is a portrait of Lisa Gherardini, the wife of Francesco del Giocondo, a silk merchant from Florence. del Giocondo translated from Italian sounds like cheerful or playful. According to the writings of biographer Giorgio Vasari, Leonardo da Vinci painted this portrait for 4 years, but left it unfinished (however, modern researchers claim that the work is completely finished and even carefully completed). The portrait is made on a poplar board measuring 76.8x53 cm. Currently hanging in the Louvre Museum in Paris.
Mona Lisa or Mona Lisa - the painting of the great artist is the most mysterious work of painting today. There are so many mysteries and secrets associated with it that even the most experienced art critics sometimes do not know what is actually drawn in this picture. Who is Gioconda, what goals did da Vinci pursue when he created this painting? If you believe the same biographers, Leonardo, at the time he painted this picture kept around him various musicians and jesters who entertained the model and created a special atmosphere, which is why the canvas turned out to be so exquisite and unlike all other creations of this author.
One of the mysteries is that under ultraviolet and infrared radiation this picture looks completely different. The original Mona Lisa, which was dug up under a layer of paint using a special camera, was different from the one that visitors now see in the museum. She had a wider face, a more emphatic smile and different eyes.
Another secret is that Mona Lisa has no eyebrows and eyelashes. There is an assumption that during the Renaissance, most women looked like this and this was a tribute to the fashion of that time. Women of the 15th and 16th centuries got rid of any facial hair. Others claim that the eyebrows and eyelashes were actually there, but faded over time. A certain researcher Cott, who is studying and thoroughly researching this work of the great master, has debunked many myths about Mona Lisa. For example, the question once arose about the hand of Mona Lisa. From the outside, even an inexperienced gas can see that the arm is very bent in a weird way. However, Cott discovered the smoothed features of a cape on his hand, the colors of which faded over time and it began to seem that the hand itself had a strange unnatural shape. Thus, we can safely say that Gioconda at the time of her writing was very different from what we see now. Time has mercilessly distorted the picture to such an extent that many are still looking for secrets of the Mona Lisa that simply do not exist.
It is also interesting that after painting the portrait of Mona Lisa, da Vinci kept it with him, and then it went into the collection of the French king Francis I. Why, after completing the work, the artist did not give it to the customer remains unknown. In addition, in different times Various assumptions have been put forward as to whether Lisa del Giocondo is correctly considered the Mona Lisa. The following women are still vying for her role: Caterina Sforza, the daughter of the Duke of Milan; Isabella of Aragon, Duchess of Milan; Cecilia Gallerani aka Lady with an Ermine; Constanza d'Avalos, also called the Merry or La Gioconda; Pacifica Brandano is the mistress of Giuliano de' Medici; Isabela Galanda; A young man in women's clothing; Self-portrait of Leonardo da Vinci himself. In the end, many are inclined to believe that the artist simply depicted the image ideal woman what she is in his opinion. As you can see, there are a lot of assumptions and they all have the right to life. And yet, researchers are almost one hundred percent sure that the Mona Lisa is Lisa del Giocondo, as they found a recording of one Florentine official who wrote: “Now da Vinci is working on three paintings, one of which is a portrait of Lisa Gherardini.”
The greatness of the painting, which is conveyed to the viewer, is also the result of the fact that the artist first painted the landscape and then the model itself on top of it. As a result (whether it was planned or happened by chance, it is unknown) the figure of Gioconda was very close to the viewer, which emphasizes its significance. The perception is also influenced by the existing contrast between the gentle curves and colors of the woman and the bizarre landscape behind, as if fabulous, spiritual, with the sfumato inherent to the master. Thus, he combined reality and fairy tale, reality and dream into one whole, which creates an incredible feeling for everyone who looks at the canvas. By the time of painting this painting, Leonardo da Vinci had achieved such skill that he created a masterpiece. The painting acts as hypnosis, the secrets of painting elusive to the eye, mysterious transitions from light to shadow, attracting demonic smile, act on a person like a boa constrictor looking at a rabbit.
The secret of Gioconda is linked in the most precise mathematical calculation Leonardo, who by that time had developed the secret of the painting formula. With the help of this formula and precise mathematical calculations, a work of terrifying power came out of the master’s brush. The power of her charm is comparable to something alive and animate, and not drawn on a board. There is a feeling that the artist painted Gioconda in an instant, as if clicking a camera, and did not draw her for 4 years. In an instant, he caught her sly glance, a fleeting smile, one single movement that was embodied in the picture. How the great master of painting managed to figure it out is not destined to be revealed to anyone and will remain a secret forever.
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In the Royal Castle of Amboise (France), Leonardo da Vinci completed the famous "La Gioconda" - "Mona Lisa". It is generally accepted that Leonardo is buried in the Chapel of St. Hubert at Amboise Castle.
Hidden in Mona Lisa's eyes are tiny numbers and letters that cannot be seen with the naked eye. Perhaps these are the initials of Leonardo da Vinci and the year the painting was created.
"Mona Lisa" is considered the most mysterious picture ever created. Art experts are still unraveling its secrets. At the same time, the Mona Lisa is one of the most disappointing attractions in Paris. The fact is that huge queues line up every day. Mona Lisa is protected by bulletproof glass.
On August 21, 1911, the Mona Lisa was stolen. She was kidnapped by Louvre employee Vincenzo Perugia. There is an assumption that Perugia wanted to return the painting to historical homeland. The first attempts to find the painting led nowhere. The museum administration was fired. As part of this case, the poet Guillaume Apollinaire was arrested and later released. Pablo Picasso was also under suspicion. The painting was found two years later in Italy. January 4, 1914 painting (after exhibitions on Italian cities) returned to Paris. After these events, the picture gained unprecedented popularity.
In the DIDU cafe there is a large plasticine Mona Lisa. It was sculpted over the course of a month by ordinary cafe visitors. The process was led by artist Nikas Safronov. Mona Lisa, which was sculpted by 1,700 Muscovites and city guests, was included in the Guinness Book of Records. It became the largest plasticine reproduction of the Mona Lisa made by people.
During World War II, many works from the Louvre collection were hidden in the Chateau de Chambord. Among them was the Mona Lisa. The photographs show emergency preparations for sending the painting before the Nazis arrived in Paris. The location where the Mona Lisa was hidden was kept a closely guarded secret. The paintings were hidden for good reason: it would later turn out that Hitler planned to create “the world’s largest museum” in Linz. And he organized a whole campaign for this under the leadership of the German art connoisseur Hans Posse.
According to the History Channel movie Life After People, after 100 years without people, the Mona Lisa is eaten by bugs.
Most researchers believe that the landscape painted behind the Gioconda is fictitious. There are versions that this is the Valdarno Valley or the Montefeltro region, but there is no convincing evidence for these versions. It is known that Leonardo painted the painting in his Milan workshop.
An archaeological expedition led by Silvano Vinceti, head of the National Committee for the Development of Historical and cultural heritage, a couple of days ago I discovered a burial in the abandoned monastery of St. Ursula in Florence. There were two female skeletons, one of which, according to archaeologists, is directly related to Gioconda, depicted in the portrait of Leonardo da Vinci.
Since April, scientists have found the remains of five people in the crypt, but they definitely did not belong to the Mona Lisa. One of the newly found skeletons was preserved quite well, but only fragments remained of the second. But the main thing is that the skulls are in excellent condition, which means that scientists have a great chance of reconstructing people’s faces from them.
Vinceti: “We are almost sure that all the remains we found are from the 16th century. We found in the archives that these were the crypts of Franciscan monks, and yet the daughter of Lisa Gherardini del Gioconda was a nun of this particular order. That’s why her mother, whom everyone calls Monai Lisa, was allowed to be buried here. It was a great honor." “If everything goes as planned, we will be able to restore her face, modern technology allows this.”
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1. Lisa del Giocondo (June 15, 1479 – July 15, 1542), also known as Lisa Gherardini, Gioconda and Mona Lisa, was a noble Florentine woman depicted in famous painting Leonardo da Vinci. Born in Florence into a noble family. She married a textile merchant, Francesco di Bartolomeo di Zanobi del Giocondo, early and gave birth to six children. Like many other Florentines, Francesco was a connoisseur of art and patronized artists. The generally accepted version is that the portrait of Lisa del Giocondo was painted by Leonardo. It may have been commissioned from the artist by her husband, probably to celebrate the birth of his son and the purchase of his house.
2. (Photo: AFP/Getty Images)
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4. (Photo: WENN)
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"Mona Lisa" by the great Leonardo da Vinci, also known as "La Gioconda" is one of the most mysterious works in the history of art. For several centuries now, disputes have not subsided about who is actually depicted in the portrait. According to various versions, this is the wife of a Florentine merchant, a transvestite in women's clothing, the artist's mother, and finally, the artist himself, dressed as a woman... But this is only part of the secrets associated with the painting.
"Mona Lisa" is not "La Gioconda"?
It is believed that the painting was painted around 1503-1505. Model for her, by official version, served as a contemporary of the great painter, nee Lisa di Antonio Maria di Noldo Gherardini, whose portrait was allegedly ordered by her husband, the Florentine silk merchant Francesco del Giocondo. The full name of the canvas is “Ritratto di Monna Lisa del Giocondo” - “Portrait of Mrs. Lisa Giocondo.” Gioconda (la Gioconda) also means “cheerful, playing.” So maybe it's a nickname and not a surname.
However, there are rumors among art historians that the famous “Mona Lisa” by Leonardo da Vinci and his “La Gioconda” are two completely different paintings.
The fact is that none of the great painter’s contemporaries saw the portrait completed. Giorgio Vasari, in his book The Lives of Artists, claims that Leonardo worked on the painting for four years, but never managed to finish it. However, the portrait now on display in the Louvre is completely completed.
Another artist, Raphael, testifies that he saw La Gioconda in da Vinci's studio. He sketched the portrait. In it, the model poses between two Greek columns. In the well-known portrait there are no columns. Judging by the sources, La Gioconda was also larger than the original Mona Lisa known to us. In addition, there is evidence that the unfinished canvas was transferred to the customer - the model’s husband, Florentine businessman Francesco del Giocondo. Then it was inherited from generation to generation.
The portrait, called the “Mona Lisa,” supposedly depicts the favorite of Duke Giuliano de’ Medici, Constance d’Avalos. In 1516, the artist brought this canvas with him to France. Until da Vinci’s death, the painting was on his estate near Amboise. In 1517, it ended up in the collection of the French king Francis I. It is now on view in the Louvre.
In 1914, a British antique dealer bought a clothing market city of Bass, an image of the Mona Lisa, which he considered a successful copy of Leonardo’s creation. Subsequently, this portrait became known as the “Aiuor Mona Lisa”. It looks unfinished, with two Greek columns in the background, just like in Raphael's memories.
Then the canvas came to London, where it was bought by a syndicate of Swiss bankers in 1962.
Is it really between the two? different women Are there such similarities that they were confused? Or is there only one painting, and the second one is just a copy made by an unknown artist?
Hidden Image
By the way, recently the French expert Pascal Cotte announced that another image is hidden under the layer of paint in the painting, real Lisa Gherardini. He came to this conclusion after spending ten years studying the portrait using a technology he himself developed, based on the reflection of light rays.
According to the scientist, it was possible to “recognize” the second portrait under the Mona Lisa. It also depicts a woman who sits in exactly the same position as Mona Lisa, however, unlike the latter, she looks slightly to the side and does not smile.
Fatal smile
And the famous smile of Mona Lisa? What hypotheses have not been put forward about it! It seems to some that Gioconda does not smile at all, to others that she has no teeth, and to others there seems to be something sinister in her smile...
Back in XIX century French writer Stendhal noted that after admiring the painting for a long time, he experienced an inexplicable loss of strength... Workers at the Louvre, where the painting now hangs, say that viewers often faint in front of the Mona Lisa. In addition, museum employees noticed that when the public is not allowed into the hall, the painting seems to fade, but as soon as visitors appear, the colors seem to become brighter, and mysterious smile appears more clearly... Parapsychologists explain the phenomenon by saying that “La Gioconda” is a vampire painting, it drinks the life force of a person... However, this is just an assumption.
Another attempt to solve the mystery was made by Nitz Zebe from the University of Amsterdam and his American colleagues from the University of Illinois. They took advantage of a special computer program, which checks an image of a human face against a database of human emotions. The computer produced sensational results: it turns out that extremely mixed feelings are read on Mona Lisa’s face, and among them only 83% are happiness, 9% belong to disgust, 6% to fear and 2% to anger...
Meanwhile, Italian historians discovered that if you look at Mona Lisa's eyes under a microscope, some letters and numbers become visible. So, in the right eye you can see the letters LV, which may, however, represent just the initials of the name Leonardo da Vinci. It has not yet been possible to recognize the symbols in the left eye: either the letters CE or B...
In the arch of the bridge located in the background of the picture, the number 72 “flaunts”, although there are other versions, for example, that it is 2 or the letter L... The number 149 is also visible on the canvas (the four has been erased). This may indicate the year the painting was created - 1490 or later...
But be that as it may, mysterious smile Mona Lisa will forever remain a model the highest art. After all, the divine Leonardo was able to create something that will excite descendants for many, many centuries...
