Friday 7 November 2014

What's this Leonardo?

Following my last art critique of the famous painting by Manet, Lulu kindly responded to my request and suggested that I also do an expose on the painting the Mona Lisa.

At this point, and to go off at a very happy tangent, may I encourage you to visit Lulu's Blog. She writes from the heart and I always feel that her posts are genuine and straight-talking. Click HERE.

To get back to the Mona Lisa, or La Gioconda in Italian, or La Joconde in French, or the Mona Lisa in English, (I don't know what it's called in other languages), this is an oil painting on poplar by Leonardo da Vinci. Basically, it is a painting on a piece of wood which Leonardo found one day in the garage having finished painting the garden fence and gate. Apparently he had some paint left, and so as not to waste it, he decided to paint the young lady next door whilst her husband, Francesco del Giocondo, was on a business trip to Rome and the trains were running late that day.

Art experts and historians believe that the painting was painted between 1503 and 1506, although some claim that Leonardo may have still been working on it as late as 1517; which you must admit is a very long time for a person to sit still to be painted.

It is the best known and most visited painting in the world. It has been talked about more than any other painting and it was also sung about by Nat King Cole and others. The reason for this is the enigmatic smile on the lady's face.

"Why is she smiling?" experts have asked. "Is it because she's having her picture taken?" or "Is it because Leonardo, painting her, has forgotten that his trouser zipper is undone?"

After extensive research, and through many conversations with art experts in London, and a friend living in the house next door to where my aunt lives, I can reveal for the first time why the Mona Lisa is smiling so. The reason is so obvious and so simple that I'm astounded it escaped so many art experts over the years.

If the lady in question had to sit still from 1503 to 1506, or possibly 1517, she was quite simply grimacing because she wanted to go to the toilet.

It's as simple as that.

Let me know if there's any other unusual painting you'd like me to research for you.

18 comments:

  1. OH VICTOR----I laughed out loud! Thank you for the link---would love to hear from more of you on the other side of the pond!

    Weekend Blessings!

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    1. Glad you enjoyed this Lulu. I'm looking for more such "humourous" paintings, like the Manet for instance, on which to do a critique. Any suggestions welcome.

      God bless you Lulu.

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  2. Van Gogh--"Starry-Starry Night" also inspired a song. GO!

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    Replies
    1. I enjoyed stopping by your blog Lulu. I'll have to stop again when I can.

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    2. I'll try Starry Night - might be difficult being humourous about this one, considering poor Van Gogh's condition at the time he painted it.

      God bless.

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  3. I know why she's smiling. She just put rat poison in her husband's coffee and she's going to get his money and marry the butler. Those Renaissance Italian women were devious. ;)

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    1. That's a real possibility Manny. What coffee did they have at the time Cappucino? Or the French kind Ratdeadtouille?

      God bless.

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  4. ................ WEAR END BLESSING REPORT

    ............... ..SPECIAL NEWS 'BULL "IT" IN' ............

    ............FOURTH DIMENSION REALITY REPORT.............. ......
    /////////////////////////////// VS. /////////////////////////////////////////////////////
    WEAK END FORT DIE MENTION REPORT HEAD LINE SAYS

    ////////////////////// READ ALL ABOUT "IT".....................................

    .................REAL WORD VS. IMAGINARY WORLD.................

    Yes human remains, "I" mean human remain convinced that Leonardo da Vinci.has found a price list, "I" mean a work of Art in his garage and... he had called this painting The French, La Gioconda, La Joconde Mona Lisa and was published in English...

    Art experts and historians believe that the painting was painted between 1503 and 1506 and now the spiritual world and the soul world want their share in the real world for having sat so long without Monet...

    For the bull, "I" mean full story check out http://timeforreflections.blogspot.ca/2014/11/whats-this-leonardo.html

    AH Men!

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    Replies
    1. Leonardo was a teenage mutant Ninja Turtle.

      God bless.

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    2. Believe "IT" or not "I" heard in the news that the alien gods hired some body to smuggle little Ninjas, "I" mean real little Turtles... one human was caught with about fifty little turtles in a belt tied around the waste... said that they were being sold by four... when the kids put them in water, like magic they turned into real Ninja Turtles.

      Go figure the power of these Ninja Turtle gods these days.

      I hear YA! If only all Christians could find that power in "Jesus"?...lol

      WHO'S LAUGHING?

      God Bless you and yours

      Delete
  5. "which you must admit is a very long time for a person to sit still to be painted"

    Hysterical!

    I remember the first time I saw the Mona Lisa I was shocked at how small it was. I don't know why but for some reason - maybe because of it's fame - I thought it would have been bigger.

    God Bless you, and thank you for the laughs.

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    1. The reason it is so small is because it's painted on a piece of wood Leonardo found in the garage. Possibly the back of an old chair, or something like that.

      Glad you smiled, Michael. God bless.

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  6. Lol! I like these art posts you've been doing!

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    Replies
    1. There's plenty more in the pipeline, Mary. Please visit again. Also, why don't you suggest some paintings to be reviewed.

      God bless.

      Delete
  7. Maybe something by Peter Paul Rubens? He's got some very strange stuff!

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  8. OK, Mary. I'll research him soon.

    God bless.

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