Leonardo da Vinci painted the Mona Lisa between 1503-1506, making her one of the most famous portraits ever created. Da Vinci was a master of sfumato technique, which uses extremely thin and blended brush strokes to create the illusion of depth. This technique gives Mona Lisa her mysterious smile and makes analyzing her brush strokes very difficult. Hundreds of years later, her enigmatic expression and Da Vinci's artistic genius still fascinate millions of visitors to the Louvre each year who try to unravel the mysteries of her smile and identity.

1. Da Vinci’s Genius –
and That Face
By Gina Baxter

2. What is it about a face that
draws ones attention?

3. Is it Icelandic
cheekbones?

4. A Jimmy Durante nose? Bette Davis eyes?

5. What is it about a
certain face that has
kept millions looking
in her direction for
centuries?

6. 6

7. Leonardo da Vinci was
an artist, inventor and
scientist.

8. As well as a man often
maddened by his own genius.

9. Among his works is the most
recognizable face in the world…

10. …a wizardry known as the Mona Lisa

11. She lives at the Louvre Museum,
behind high security and bulletproof
glass in her own climate controlled room.

12. She was painted during the Renaissance
era in 1507. During this time, portraits
were considered status symbols for the
upper class.
She is sitting in a marble chair on a
concrete balcony.

13. During this period, painting anatomically correct features was still be
perfected. Many artist painted their subjects in profile view and used a
flat paint.

14. Da Vinci not only used oil to
paint Mona Lisa, but she is
facing her viewer. Her hands
are clearly portrayed, and the
delicate embroidery
of her clothing can be seen in
extreme detail.

15. Although the mystery behind her
smile is legendary, for many the
background da Vinci painted is
where her mystery truly begins.

16. Behind the model is a surreal
looking world. Some have
compared it to another planet
with its skillfully placed
mountains, rocks, water and
road.

17. Da Vinci was also a master of a
technique known as sfumato, an Italian
word that means vanished as if up in
smoke.
His perfection of this technique makes
brush strokes on Mona Lisa invisible to
the naked eye.

18. First art historians were so struck by the realism they
pointed out her lips that smiled and her eyes that shined.

19. 19
Her lack of brushstrokes still intrigues
researchers to this day. In 2004, art
researcher Bruno Mottin was among a
group allowed to study the painting
using infrared lasers and 3-D scanners.
The images were so detailed they had
to be viewed on special monitors.

20. 20
The computer-generated map proved the
effect had been created by using extremely
thin layers of paint.
However, most scholars assumed da Vinci
executed the light portions first then built up
to dark. When in fact the images showed the
dark areas around her mouth and eyes have
the thickest layers of paint, while other dark
areas are comparatively thin.

21. 21
In other words, they’re
still unsure how he did
it.

22. 22
For millions, she’s a fascination.
For some, she’s an outright obsession.

23. Da Vinci was so protective of her; she was
a painting he wouldn’t sell, and kept her
with him until his death.

24. When Napoleon did his conquering, she
was one of the objects he took.
He hung her in his bedroom.

25. In 1911 an Italian handyman working at the
Louvre stole her in order to take her back
to her homeland.
Sixty detectives were assigned to find her,
and her disappearance made headlines
around the world.
Once caught, it’s rumored the handyman
confessed to being in love with her.

26. Then, there’s the mystery of the unknown model.
Some believe its da Vinci’s self portrait, and how he
saw himself in feminine form.
However, the most popular belief is that
the face of Mona Lisa belonged to a woman
named Lisa Gherardini. The wife of a wealthy
silkmerchant.

27. One archeologist, Silvano Vinceti, is so obsessed with finding her identity,
in 2011 he began an archeological dig under an abandoned Florentine convent,
where it’s believed Lisa Gherardini is buried.
He’s certain a facial reconstruction will prove she is the face of Mona Lisa.
As of this writing, he’s excavated at least four female skeletons and has yet to find her.

28. Approximately 9 million people a year walk
through the Louvre to look at her, and the
museum receives thousands of love letters
and poems written to her.

29. Her dull color is due to centuries of aged varnish that
no one dares to clean because she cannot be insured.
She is literally priceless.

30. Bibliography
• Austen, I. (2006). New Look at Mona Lisa Yields Some New Secrets.
• The New York Times- web publication,
• http://www.nytimes.com/2006/09/27/arts/design/27mona.html?ref=leonardodavinci&_r=o
• Vasari, G. (n.d.). Lives of the Painters.