Mrs. Keyfitz's Art Blog

Art Inspiration, Discussion & Appreciation




Mona Lisa by Leonardo da Vinci (c. 1503- 1506) What we learned- Mona Lisa was the wife of a wealthy man who commissioned da Vinci to paint his wife’s portrait for her. According to art historian Giorgio Vasari (1511-1574), Mona Lisa was mourning the loss of a child, which contributes to her half-smile.  Vasari noted that da Vinci hired musicians to play for her during the sitting to raise her spirits. Before the invention of cameras, artist renditions were the only way to remember how a person looked.  To have a portrait done was very expensive and therefore only the wealthier people had their portraits painted. Discussion Questions- Why do you think da Vinci selected these colors for his painting? How do you think Mona Lisa felt?  How can you tell (from the painting)? According to Vasari, da Vinci left the painting unfinished after 4 years of toil.  Can you tell it’s unfinished?  How?  Can an unfinished painting be as significant as a finished one?  Why or why not?

Mona Lisa by Leonardo da Vinci (c. 1503- 1506)

What we learned-

  • Mona Lisa was the wife of a wealthy man who commissioned da Vinci to paint his wife’s portrait for her.
  • According to art historian Giorgio Vasari (1511-1574), Mona Lisa was mourning the loss of a child, which contributes to her half-smile.  Vasari noted that da Vinci hired musicians to play for her during the sitting to raise her spirits.
  • Before the invention of cameras, artist renditions were the only way to remember how a person looked.  To have a portrait done was very expensive and therefore only the wealthier people had their portraits painted.

Discussion Questions-

  1. Why do you think da Vinci selected these colors for his painting?
  2. How do you think Mona Lisa felt?  How can you tell (from the painting)?
  3. According to Vasari, da Vinci left the painting unfinished after 4 years of toil.  Can you tell it’s unfinished?  How?  Can an unfinished painting be as significant as a finished one?  Why or why not?

Notes