Appreciation of Mona Lisa’s Smile

[Edit this paragraph] The meaning of smile refers to a charming smile or a mysterious smile. "Mona Lisa" is a portrait by the famous Italian Renaissance painter Leonardo da Vinci. The protagonist in the painting is Mona Lisa, the young wife of the then upstart Giocondo. This painting took 4 years to paint. ?At that time, Mona Lisa's youngest son had just died, and she had been in mourning and depressed. In order to make the hostess happy, Leonardo da Vinci invited musicians and comedians to try his best to make Mona Lisa happy while painting. After the painting was completed, the mysterious smile on the face of the dignified and beautiful Mona Lisa fascinated countless people. People have made various guesses about that smile: is it an amiable and gentle smile? Is it a sentimental and sentimental smile? Is it a sign of inner happiness? Is it a sign of virginity? That smile seemed to be all of these things, but also seemed not to be all of these things. Its allure lies in the mystery and charm of that smile. Later, "Mona Lisa's smile" was used to refer to a charming smile or a mysterious smile.

[Edit this paragraph] Revealing the Smile The treasure of the Louvre Museum in Paris, France: Leonardo da Vinci's "Mona Lisa's Smile" was created by Leonardo da Vinci in 1504, a famous Italian painter. about. The Mona Lisa in the painting has become an aesthetic and philosophical symbolic image, and has long been the object of imitation by Dadaist and Surrealist painters. For 500 years, people have been divided over the mysterious smile of the Mona Lisa. Different viewers or viewing at different times may have different feelings. Sometimes I think she smiles comfortably and gently, sometimes she looks serious, sometimes she seems slightly sad, and sometimes she even looks sarcastic and teasing. In a painting, changes in light cannot make as big a difference as in sculpture. But on Mona Lisa's face, faint shadows appear and disappear, covering her eyes and lips with a veil. Human smiles are mainly shown at the corners of the eyes and mouth, but Leonardo da Vinci painted these parts vaguely without clear boundaries, which is why there is this elusive "mysterious smile". ? Dr. Livingstone, a neuroscientist at Harvard University, said that Mona Lisa’s smile disappears and appears, which is related to the human visual system, not because of the mysterious expression of the person in the painting. Dr. Livingstone is an authority on visual neural activity, focusing on how the eye and brain respond to different contrasts and light and dark. "The smile appears and disappears because the viewer changes the position of their eyes," Livingstone said. There are two different parts of the human eye that receive images, she said. The central part (the shallow pit on the retina) is responsible for distinguishing colors and fine marks. Pay attention to black and white, movement and shadow around the outer part of the dimple. According to Livingstone, when people look at a face, their eyes are mostly focused on the other person's eyes. If one's central vision is focused on Mona Lisa's eyes, less accurate peripheral vision will focus on her mouth. Because peripheral vision does not pay attention to subtleties, the shadows of the cheekbones are invisibly highlighted. As a result, the arc of the smile appears even wider. However, when looking directly at Mona Lisa's mouth, central vision does not see the shadow. Livingstone said: "If we look at her mouth, we will never be able to capture her smile." Mona Lisa's looming smile comes from people's constant shifting of eyes. Livingstone pointed out that if you want to copy the "Mona Lisa", you have to look away when depicting the mouth. ? In 1993, Canadian art historian Susan Giroux announced a shocking research result. She said that Mona Lisa's lips, which fascinate countless viewers, are a man's naked back. This assertion is new and absurd, but the argument is powerful. Leonardo da Vinci, who was a painter, sculptor, architect, engineer and scientist, could be described as a "weirdo". He likes to wear pink coats, paint his beard with colorful colors without scruples, and often claims that he has dissected no less than 30 corpses. He was also left-handed and used to write backwards from right to left. Others had to use a mirror to read what he wrote. Therefore, using a mirror is also a way for appreciators to read paintings. After rotating 90 degrees and looking in the mirror, Mona Lisa's pursed smiling lips happen to be the back of a strong man with clear lines and the corner of his left arm and elbow; besides, expressing the beauty of the human body and calling for the awakening of humanity are both the master's His philosophy of life is also his view of art. ? Indeed, people will get different feelings when appreciating this painting from different angles and under different lights. The smile is sometimes gentle, sometimes serene and serious, sometimes a little sad, and sometimes a bit sarcastic and teasing. The mysterious smile reveals the mysterious and unpredictable spiritual activities of the characters. ? Over the past hundreds of years, new interpretations of "smile" have emerged one after another. For example, the reason why the smile does not reveal the white teeth is because the prototype is elegant and beautiful but has poor speech; the prototype is melancholy and unhappy because of the death of his beloved daughter, and it is difficult to hide the sadness; and even worse, the Mona Lisa was pushed off the throne of a noble lady. , reducing the prototype to a prostitute, so the smile is full of ridicule and teasing. ? Dr. Joseph Baukowsky of Maryland, USA, believes: "Mona Lisa is not smiling at all. Her facial expression is a typical indication that she wants to hide that she has no front teeth." ? Jean, a brain surgeon in Lyon, France Dr. Jacques Condet believed that Mona Lisa had just suffered a stroke. Please see, the muscles in half of her face are loose, and her face is crooked, so she appears to be smiling. ? British doctor Dr. Kenneth Gaye believes that Mona Lisa is pregnant.

He based this on the fact that she had a satisfied look on her face, her skin was fresh, and her hands were folded on her belly. Sexology experts speculate that Mona Lisa had just experienced an orgasm, so she showed a smile that attracted the world. ? There is also an almost nonsense theory: her expression is as if she has taken aniline, and she looks very intoxicated. This is a pleasure hormone produced in the human body after eating chocolate. Few people believed this statement because there was no chocolate at that time. ? In the painting, the horizon on the left is lower than the right, and the left side of the Mona Lisa looks larger than the right side. Historically, the left side represents women, reflecting Leonardo's admiration for women. Computer analysis shows that there are many similarities between the faces of the Mona Lisa and Leonardo da Vinci's self-portrait. It is possible that the Mona Lisa is Leonardo himself. In Egyptian legend, the god in charge of male genitals is called Amon, who is in charge of female genitals. The god's name is Isis - it was read as L'ISA in ancient texts, so Mona Lisa implies AMON L'ISA, that is, Mona Lisa is neither male nor female, and is a fusion of both genders.

[Edit this paragraph] The mystery of the authenticity of the "Mona Lisa" According to previous reports, Leonardo da Vinci's "Mona Lisa" is collected in the Louvre Museum in Paris. However, there is a saying in the collecting community that the one hanging in the Louvre is not the "Mona Lisa". The real "Mona Lisa" is on the wall of an apartment in London. ? Dr. Pulitzer, the custodian of this apartment and this work, said that after the "Mona Lisa" was completed, the work stayed at Lisa de Zogon's house. Later, another nobleman asked Leonardo da Vinci to paint a portrait of his mistress. This woman, known as "La Gioconda" (meaning "the smiling one"), looked very similar to the Mona Lisa. . So, in a moment of laziness, Leonardo da Vinci replaced the face of the Mona Lisa with La Gioconda. After the painting was completed, the nobleman abandoned La Gioconda and did not buy the painting. Later, Leonardo da Vinci went to France at the invitation of Francis I and brought this painting with him. Pulitzer said that it was the portraits of La Gioconda that added to the brilliance of the Louvre. "Mona Lisa" later traveled to England and was bought by William Blake, a museum curator and art connoisseur, at the beginning of this century. Later, it was acquired by a Swiss consortium, of which Pulitzer was a member. ? At the beginning of this century, many people copied and forged famous works of art on a large scale. There is reason to suspect that the one in London was a fake. However, Dr. Pulitzer was convinced of the authenticity of his painting. He used microphotography to confirm that the fingerprints on the London painting were the same as those on other Leonardo da Vinci works; according to records, the Mona Lisa was 19 years younger than La Giocondo and was painted wearing a The Veil of Mourning, of the two paintings, only the London one shows a younger woman wearing a beautiful veil; another evidence is that Raphael made a sketch when Leonardo da Vinci painted this painting , there are two columns behind the Mona Lisa in the sketch. These two columns appear in the London portrait, while the background of the Louvre painting is cliffs, paths, stone bridges, trees and gurgling water. ? For hundreds of years, many collectors have claimed that they have as many as 60 real "Mona Lisas" in their collections. What’s even more interesting is that the Bertrand Museum of Art in Maine, USA, received a painting called “Mona Lisa without Smiling” in 1984. It was determined that this painting was indeed painted by Leonardo da Vinci. The characters in the painting Except she doesn't smile, she looks exactly like Mona Lisa herself. Experts speculate that this "Mona Lisa without Smiling" may be a draft painted by the author at the same time. ? There is also a theory that the "Mona Lisa" currently in the Louvre Museum is a fake, based on the theft that occurred in 1911. During that theft, the Mona Lisa was stolen. Two years later, it appeared in Italy, but the columns on both sides of the screen behind the Mona Lisa had been cut away. A few years later, the Mona Lisa was returned to the Louvre. However, many experts believe that this recovery is just a smoke screen. The real "Mona Lisa" has been purchased by a wealthy collector for a large sum of money, and the one hanging in the Louvre is just a fake.

[Edit this paragraph] The mystery of the background of "Mona Lisa" Carlo Pedretti, a professor at the University of California, believes that the background behind the Mona Lisa is Bria, a city in Arezzo, central Italy The view near Norbridge. Pedretti's evidence is that Leonardo da Vinci was born in the town of Vinci, about 100 kilometers away from Arezzo, and once lived in Arezzo. The primitive landscape of this area is the same as the background of the "Mona Lisa" Almost exactly the same, it is possible that Leonardo da Vinci used the pastoral scenery of this area as the background for the Mona Lisa. When Pedretti's view was announced at the International Symposium on Leonardo da Vinci's Painting, many art history experts affirmed his research results.

[Edit this paragraph] The mystery of the cause of death of "Mona Lisa" According to records, Lisa di Gherardini died of depression at the age of 46, but a Japanese cardiologist said he It was discovered that Mona Lisa had a yellow spot on her left eye, which was a sign of high cholesterol levels. This Japanese cardiologist said Mona Lisa should have died of myocardial infarction. ? The endless Mona Lisa? Mona Lisa, this is a question that will never be finished. Since its inception, nearly five hundred years later, future generations have made countless comments and speculations, leaving more and more puzzles. Today, there are hundreds of monographs on the study of the Mona Lisa, and nearly a hundred scholars have taken this painting as a lifelong topic.

The passage of time will not solve the mystery, but will only leave more doubts to future generations as the research deepens. ? People love her too much. Endlessly explore her imperceptible, fleeting yet everlasting smile, her all-seeing and all-embracing eyes, her dignified and steady posture, her noble yet simple attire, and her impeccable perfect composition. People marveled: Leonardo, only Leonardo, with his God-like wisdom, could collect so many beautiful elements and combine many beautiful things into one perfection. Therefore, beauty, wisdom, and eternity are the trinity, the ultimate combination, and there is no possibility of transcendence. In this way, Mona Lisa brings people infinitely beautiful reverie, but also gives people infinitely heavy pressure. People are willing to live in her shadow and absorb nourishing nutrients; they are also eager to step out of her shadow and breathe free air. For many years, countless people who are obsessed with painting have been troubled by this contradiction. ? This is a myth, it is related to Da. It has nothing to do with Finch, it is entirely made by future generations. Myths are like snowballs that keep rolling over time, expanding infinitely, and eventually even the creators of the myths are swallowed up. Today, the Mona Lisa sits in a prominent position in the Louvre, separated by thick bulletproof glass, greeting tens of thousands of visitors every day with her well-known, mysterious and eternal smile. These pilgrim-like viewers have all kinds of questions in their hearts, and they are eager to read the answers through this gentle and quiet face. However, they take away more questions when they leave. The problems are many and varied, many of which have nothing to do with the Mona Lisa. Some people may ask: Is Mona Lisa the name of the person in the painting, or is it another name for smile? The person in the painting is actually banker Joe. Gondo's wife, or Princess Isabel? Does this painting have a real model, or is it based on imagination? The character in the painting has no eyebrows. Is this an aesthetic fashion in Florence at that time, or is it, as someone said, that the person is pregnant, a sign of pregnancy? Has the person in the painting just experienced the pain of a miscarriage and is wearing mourning clothes? Is Mona Lisa's confusing expression really a smile? Isn't it caused by facial paralysis? Is Mona Lisa a boy or a girl? Is the prototype of Da? Finch himself? The more the questions are asked, the more bizarre they become, and the questions become further and further away from the painting itself. Not only does it not help in interpreting the painting, it actually leads people astray. ? In fact, some questions have constituted blasphemy against the "Mona Lisa", but the questioners have not yet realized it. Is it necessary to ask whether the Mona Lisa is a boy or a girl? No one with a sense of gender should have any doubts about this, but someone would ask such a ridiculous question. Some people say that Mona Lisa gives people a neutral feeling, at least she (he) does not give people sexual temptation. I would like to ask, can only sexyness constitute female beauty? So, what's the difference between a portrait and a pornographic photo? There is no doubt that Mona Lisa is beautiful. Her beauty is fully reflected in the beauty of human nature and is not limited to female characteristics. In other words, her beauty has transcended gender barriers, but this does not mean that gender cannot be distinguished. It would be extremely boring to raise ridiculous questions about obvious facts, if there is no ulterior motive. It is outrageous to say anything about facial palsy in the face of an obviously pleasant portrait. Is Mona Lisa’s expression frozen? It is completely ridiculous to call a momentary expression frozen. Smile is indescribable. An unconscious smile when you are focused, a friendly smile, a happy smile, or a slightly sarcastic smile. It is the feeling of each person under different emotions, but there is no doubt about the smile. As for some people who feel that Mona Lisa's smile is beyond the reach of ordinary people, and therefore conclude that this painting is not based on a real person as a model, but is completely based on imagination, this conclusion is completely redundant. People were amazed. Fincher's excellent painting skills: From the facial features to the hands, to other parts of the body, including clothing, every part of the person in the painting is so real and palpable that it is almost within reach. This cannot be accomplished by imagination. If there is no real person for reference, Da. Even if Fincher had great talent, he would not be able to paint so vividly and delicately. Some people may ask, is the look in the person's eyes and her smile so distant and unexplained, unique to her? Why can’t people today imitate it? In fact, this question is easy to answer. Everyone who knows painting knows that portraits are not equivalent to character prototypes. A good portrait must first reflect the interaction between the author and the subject; the painter integrates his own wisdom, emotions, life philosophy, spiritual desires, etc. into the characters in the painting, so that what the audience reads from the picture is definitely better than Real characters are much richer. We learned about Da. After understanding Finch's life and his extraordinary achievements in many fields, the above problems can be easily solved. In this case, it doesn't matter whose wife the person in the painting is or what her name is. She is Da. The gathering of all Finch's artistic talents is also the concentrated expression of his ideal personality. In this sense, she is no one's wife, she is a perfect human being that transcends conventional limitations. We can understand Mona Lisa as Da. A spiritual portrait of Finch, but it would be too vulgar to say that he was the model. Someone will reach it through computer technology. Fincher compared his self-portrait with the Mona Lisa and found that the basic structure of the two was strikingly similar, so he concluded that the painting was based on himself as a model. In fact, this is nitpicking.

Similarity does not mean agreement. Of course, a complete agreement is impossible, just as the people in the paintings are not exactly the same as the real people. However, different people always have similarities, and the similarities are the main ones, but the differences are subtle; what's more, Every painter will unconsciously bring his own image into the picture when he depicts others, because the painter is most familiar with himself. This is what we want to say. Finch is no exception. Speaking of which, the rest of the questions need no explanation. If we read more about paintings and get in touch with more painters, then irrelevant questions will not be raised. ? Refuting some of the above issues, it does not mean that the research surrounding the "Mona Lisa" is meaningless. As the most famous work in the history of world art, there will inevitably be endless questions for future generations to explore. People are too familiar with the "Mona Lisa" and it is difficult to feel new. However, those who are obsessed with this painting will gain something new every time they look at it, and they may only understand the secrets. "Mona Lisa" is not only the treasure of the Louvre Museum, but also the pride of the French people. When the Mona Lisa was stolen, tens of millions of people were in agony, and the government designated that day as a "National Disaster Day." But when it was lost and found, the whole country rejoiced, and the grand occasion was nothing less than the country's rebirth. Could it be that the French have forgotten that the Mona Lisa should not belong to them. Italy, the hometown of the Mona Lisa, has immeasurable artistic treasures; but not having the Mona Lisa is a huge regret. This is a painting with the largest number of enthusiasts in the world. Not to mention the art world, the fascination with her by political figures is surprising: whenever the famous President de Gaulle feels upset, he will drive to the Louvre to appreciate "Montgomery". "Na Lisa", after coming out, his face was full of joy, and his original worries disappeared; while President Pompidou publicly admitted that he could not restrain his fascination with "Mona Lisa". The great man of the century, Winston Churchill, may have been a great man, but when he had the honor to touch the "Mona Lisa" in his later years, he could not control his trembling fingers. The Iron Lady, Mrs. Thatcher, also had a special liking for the "Mona Lisa" and had no chance to enjoy it. There are four fakes among the originals. Seeing these facts, we will have questions: Why does a small portrait have such great charm or shocking power? Isn't it driven by a mysterious invisible force? ? Some questions are difficult to answer. Let’s start with the Mona Lisa itself. The world-recognized authentic work is now in the Louvre Museum, and it has been circulated in an orderly manner. That year. When Vinci moved to France, he took this painting with him; Da. After Vinci's death, the "Mona Lisa" was owned by the French royal family; after the Louvre was built, the painting was permanently collected. However, people are puzzled by the fact that the Mona Lisa they see today is different from what was originally described. Could it be that someone else has manipulated her? Indeed, the paintings we see today are as good as those of those years. There is already a big gap between what Finch first painted. It is said that when Napoleon got the "Mona Lisa", in order to put it into a ready-made frame, he cut off three centimeters on the left and right sides of the picture. There were stone pillars on both sides of the original painting, but now you can't see it, only a little bit of the pillar base can be seen. . It is said that Napoleon caused great damage to this painting, but we would not think so today. In today's eyes, the composition of the "Mona Lisa" is perfect. The scenery behind the character expands the picture space and well highlights the character's inner world. The character image is also extremely prominent; on the contrary, the two sides have added On the contrary, I felt that the composition was dull, the field of view was not wide enough, and the characters had lost their simplicity. During his military life, Napoleon never paid special attention to art, but he left a significant mark in the history of art. It is incredible. It seems that holiness is not necessarily unshakable. ? The "Mona Lisa" we see now is sepia-brown, with a slight turquoise tint. The color is simple and calm, simple and dignified. We think that paintings have always been like this, but this is not the case. According to Da. Finch's contemporaries described the painting as brightly colored and bright in tone. When did it change to what it is now? When the Karmapa obtained the "Mona Lisa", in order to better protect it, he applied too much varnish on the surface; after hundreds of years, the varnish turned into dark brown, like the color we see now; The surface of the painting has cracked, forming a fine texture like a spider web. It is a pity that the state of preservation is poor; however, we would rather recognize the Mona Lisa as it is today. The simple and rich tones complement the character's calm and restrained spiritual temperament; the dark clothing and misty background make the character's face and hands loud and moving; and the even cracks add a mysterious atmosphere to the character, allowing us to admire her with a sense of mystery. More reverence and fascination. Some people want to use modern scientific and technological means to remove surface grease and restore the original bright colors; but they are worried that the technology is not up to standard and the picture will be damaged. In fact, if it is really repaired, we will find it strange and even difficult to accept. ? Copying famous paintings is an expression of love. "Mona Lisa" has the largest number of copies in the world. Not to mention today's copying, only Da. There were several versions of the "Mona Lisa" in Vinci's time, most of which were by Leonardo da Vinci. Finch's student or assistant. Some of the paintings are poorly executed and unsightly when placed next to the originals, but there are also some masterpieces among them. There is also a "Mona Lisa" in New Jersey, USA, which is very similar to the original work in the Louvre, except that the composition is slightly larger, exposing the stone pillars on the left and right sides (the original composition of the original work). The Mona Lisa in the painting is beautiful, pure, and more earthly. Leiter, a scholar who specializes in studying the Mona Lisa, believes that this painting is also the work of Leonardo da Vinci. Painted by Vinci and the earliest work, this work shows the youthful charm of the characters; the one collected in the Louvre was painted around 1513.

Da. Fincher became more and more proficient in his skills in his later years, but over the years, Mona Lisa is no longer young, but more mature and profound. This statement is quite intriguing, but after all, it is just speculation and difficult to confirm. Most people hold negative opinions on this, and opponents think: Da. Fincher produced only a handful of paintings during his lifetime, and he never repeated his work.