Why is the Mona Lisa more famous than other Da Vinci paintings?

Answer 1

Bcause he invented an effect that made his model look more real and lifelike than anyone had managed to do up to that point. It's called sfumato he used " blurred outline and mellowed colors that allow one form to merge with another and always leave something to our imagination."

Answer 2

It's a simple painting - just a portrait. Unlike, say, annunciation, or last supper, there's not so much detail and back story that it can distract from the overall painting.

It's accessible; it's in a prominent place in probably the world's most famous art gallery, the Louvre (former royal palace) in Paris. The Last Supper, for example, is on a wall on an abbey in Milan, and due to bad planning had deteriorated so badly it was almost unrecognizable before recent restoration; it's still kept in a climate controlled environment with limited access. (phone ahead for tickets, 30 people at a time).

It's had years of hype, and da Vinci is a famous person for more than his art. He had a very creative and scientific mind so he's better known than, say, someone who's best known as a ninja turtle. He himself considered "La Gioconda" (as it's also known, from the name of the assumed subject) to be his best work, so that claim has been repeated and built up over the centuries.

As a generalist he didn't do a lot of paintings, and needed his arm twisted to finish many of them. (He painted Mona, but it seems he never gave her family the painting... I bet he didn't get paid then, either.) So there's not a lot of alternatives. His other famous works include mostly ink doodlings in notebooks.

Answer 3

I think it is about her enigmatic smile, it is so mysterious and mischievous at the same time. It appears she is smirking or grinning, and about what is a huge debate. I have heard that she bears a striking resemblance to Da Vinci himself, some speculate that it was a self portrait of Da Vinci in drag and that is why she is smiling. it is a beautiful work, I have seen it in person twice and am always awestruck by how commanding of a presence she appears to have yet she remains reserved and lady-like. I think it also so famous do to the hundreds of parodies that people have made about it over the years. I still like Madonna of the rocks more, but the Mona Lisa is quite beautiful.

Answer 4

Personally, there are many others I like better, particularly the portraits of Genevra Benci and Celia Gallerani. But the thing about the Mona Lisa (which is actually titled The Happy Woman) is that there is a difference between seeing a print and seeing it live. Vasari, a contemporary, stated: "Her eyes have the sparkle that can be observed in life...The nose, with its lovely, delicate nostrils, is truly the nose of a living person. The mouth with its red lips, and the scarlet of the cheeks, are not paint but living flesh." The painting was one of Leonardo's personal favorites and he carried it with him as he traveled. It also deviates from the norm, depicting a "chunky" and older sort of woman for the time. But of course, there is the mystery of the smile. It is half happy, half sad, a puzzle in itself that is as timeless as the portrait, and I think that is the main attraction to the picture.

Answer 5

It's because after Da Vinci died, people actually started realizing how great his paintings were, but when they saw the Mona Lisa, they thought it was very unique possibly because of her tilted smile, petite hands, or the fact that she had no eyebrows!

Answer 6

What I personally like about it is the expression on her face. She knows a secret and is slightly amused by it. Her eyes hold a hint of mischief, but you know when you look at her that she will keep her secret to herself--this gives her more pleasure than gossiping about it. She is calm and at peace with herself and the world around her.

She is not beautiful by today's standards, but she is indeed very pleasant to look at. I am sure that it would be an intense pleasure to see the original and observe the true colors and brush strokes firsthand. Needless to say, it's one of my favorite portraits.

Answer 7

It IS a compelling portrait, and the supposed "mystery" (what is she smiling about?...Is it a smile?...and so on) contribute to its allure. Also, I think portraits appeal to us on a much more personal level than, say, landscapes. Still, a LOT of it has to do with "hype", like the Sistine Chapel, Monet's waterlilies and Singer Sargent's' "Madame X". If they're shown more, discussed more and taught in school, then more people recognize them and say, "Hey! I know that one!".

Answer 8

She wasn't a religeous painting funded by the church and she wasn't wealthy. He spent so much time and money on someone who clearly couldn't pay him and made her look just as regal as any rich person. She was art for art's sake.

Answer 9

I think it has to do with accessibility. It's easy for people to understand a portrait. There's no real interpretation and it's not tied to any old concepts that might be hard to relate to.

Answer 10

He actually finished this painting. Most of his paintings were never finished.