Mini Post 1

                                              Leonardo Da Vinci, Mona Lisa, 1503-1517

The picture above is an oil painting by one of the most iconic artists of the Renaissance period, Leonardo Da Vinci, as it was believed to be painted between the year 1503-1517. Leonardo da Vinci was commissioned by the husband of Lisa Gherardini.It was initially meant to be just a simple home portrait of a home’s matriarch, but the artwork became Da Vinci’s most known piece of work.This piece was later named “Mona Lisa”, Mona meaning Madam and Lisa being the subject of the painting. People were captivated by this work mainly due to the mysterious facial expression that was painted and how it blended well with the landscape as the background.
This painting express humanism during the Renaissance as it showed realism of the human face and expression.The painting also displays a sense of harmony and tranquility. The eyes and mouth of the Mona Lisa captivate people because they could not fully interpret the true emotions that was being put on display and thus became well known as an enigmatic painting. This painting became distinctive due the simplicity and realism in the work. Other portrait artworks from this time period were very decorative and the subjects were always stiff and did not express any emotions in the portraits. The Mona Lisa is one of the very first portraits where people could sense human emotions being emitted from the painting although they could not determine which emotion it was. This artwork shows that people from that time could express themselves and have it be realistic and conveying to others.