Leonardo da Vinci was born on April 15, 1452. He is easily one of the most iconic and most remembered artists of all time. However he only achieved greatness by following his mentors’ guidance. Da Vinci began focusing on art at an early age. Such influences included Raphael and Michaelangelo. When da Vinci was fourteen years old, he started a nine-year apprenticeship under Andrea del Verrocchio- another unforgetable artist of the Renaissance era. This apprenticeship was especially important because del Verrocchio had learned his skills from the world-famous sculptor Donatello.
During these nine years, da Vinci not only broadened his art expertise, but he also learned everyday life skills. He used his newly-learned skills to complete his first work of art during his apprenticeship, Landscape Drawing for Santa Maria della Neve, a view of the Arno River valley. Over time, da Vinci created many pieces that are still known throughout the world today such as Madonna of the Carnation, The Last Supper, and the most famous of them all- Mona Lisa. Da Vinci’s apprenticeship is directly responsible for these masterpieces and his mark on the art community.
It could be said that The Mona Lisa is single-handedly the most famous painting of all time. Some would argue that the painting is famous because of its beauty, but others would say it is because of its strangeness. The main focus of the painting is of the wife of Francesco del Giocondo. She is dressed in the clothes of the time period, but she is not depicted as what many would consider a beautiful woman. She is barely smiling, has little to no trace of eyebrows, and has large bags under her eyes. Many viewers even say that her eyes seem to follow people as they move around the painting.
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However, the woman is the not the only star of the portrait. The background seems to have been very well thought out. It displays a beautiful landscape of trees and a winding road. The painting is composed of soft, subtle, yet dark colors which make it easy on the eyes. There is nothing about the Mona Lisa that is not original; millions of people view the painting each year, even 500 years after its debut. “The original painting size is 77 x 53 cm (30 x 20 7/8 in) and is owned by the Government of France and is on the wall in the Louvre in Paris, France.”
The Mona Lisa is a great example of a 2-dimensional work of art. Da Vinci thought out the entire portrait very well. He perfectly placed the figure of the woman in the painting, but he also made the background extremely detailed. Although the painting looks to be very simple, the variety of different colors throughout the background cause lots of perception. This is one of the reasons that lots of people, including myself, think the woman’s eyes are following or watching them in the painting. Da Vinci uses a soft, balanced palette of colors which allow the viewer to comprehend the entire picture. The neutral colors create the shades. The blues throughout the background make the flowing waters visable and beautiful, yet the touch of red and tan make the winding road stand out from the waterway. The colors are just dark enough to create contrast from the background, but they are still light enough to give details.
Because the woman is strategically placed in the center of the picture, this painting showcases the central axis, an imaginary line down the center of the painting. The Mona Lisa is also a good example of the use of space and depth. The woman’s figure sits in front of the colorful background, but due to the choice of colors, there is no friction between the two. He blended every color out so that there were no harsh lines anywhere in the painting, yet the softer lines throughout the portrait are distinct enough to bring contrast between the woman and the background. Sfumato, vanished, lighting is used to soften the lines that would have otherwise created a distraction in the painting. Since the background of the Mona Lisa is a landscape background, it specifically showcases atmospheric perspective as well.
I personally believe that da Vinci does an excellent job of using numerous principles and elements of design. It is obvious that he thought out the colors, perception, and arrangement of every detail. It is for this reason that the Mona Lisa will be forever and always be viewed as one of the most famous pieces of art. Without Leonardo da Vinci and the Mona Lisa, the world of art as we know it would not be the same.
