Think of a painting—what comes to mind is a woman so pervasive throughout popular media, one with an enigmatic smile and no eyebrows. Who is she?
She is, as Nat King Cole sings,
Mona Lisa, Mona Lisa / Men have named you / You are so like the lady with the mystic smile.
Over spring break, I had the pleasure of going to Paris and Avignon in France, and Barcelona in Spain with the Enloe Arts Department. A notable stop on our trip was the Louvre, the home of the Mona Lisa. Once I was in the room with this painting, one that appears in countless movies and is valued at over $870 million, I found myself a little underwhelmed. The massive lines and frantic throng of people attempting to get a singular photo of this painting, just one out of the 35,000 pieces of art on display at the Louvre, made me pause. Why is this painting so popular?
The Mona Lisa was painted by Leonardo da Vinci between 1503 to 1519. The work is 30 inches by 21 inches, depicting an unidentified woman posing in front of a landscape featuring a bridge. The most commonly accepted theory on the woman’s identity claims the portrait is of Lisa del Giocondo, wife of the Florentine merchant Francesco del Giocondo. However, there are no records of this transaction occurring, and the true identity of the lady remains a mystery. Once completed, the painting was hung in Francis I’s bedroom, and later in Napoleon’s bedroom; until he was crowned emperor, and then it was returned to the Louver.
In 1911, the public was shocked when the Mona Lisa was stolen, creating a wave of horror at the empty spot left in the Louvre. In 1913, the painting was found when Vincenzo Peruggia was reported to the police after trying to sell it. He had fitted a new glass frame on the Mona Lisa, then hid in a closet, waited for the museum to close, and stole it. Ironically, the painting was so famous after the theft that he couldn’t sell it, and when he finally attempted to, he was caught with it hidden in the false bottom of his trunk.
With all this drama, it makes sense why the painting is so famous. But why is the Mona Lisa, well, the Mona Lisa? The Mona Lisa is popular for being popular. The painting, of course, has inherent value as a Renaissance masterpiece by Da Vinci, but is it more popular than it’s truly worth? The line to see the Mona Lisa is constantly absurd: a swarm of people so dense and cramped together that I ended up walking away. And many, many people share my sentiment. The lines have gotten so clogged that every year, the Louvre creates new strategies to make the viewing experience more enjoyable. For example, a new exhibit specifically for the Mona Lisa is in development to alleviate congestion and improve the visitor experience. After all, on average, 30,000 people visit the museum daily, and an overwhelming 80 percent of them come just to see the Mona Lisa.
I’m not here to dispute the value of art, define what is or isn’t of value, or criticize a painting I could never come close to creating. I simply want to raise the question: Is the Mona Lisa rightfully idolized and praised?
As mentioned before, the Mona Lisa is a stunning work of art, but its popularity and mystique were amplified only after it was stolen. The space left behind drew more attention than the painting itself. The vacant frame became not just a physical reminder of the missing masterpiece, but a symbol of national unity. French patriotism skyrocketed after the theft, and Mona Lisa merchandise began to appear: postcards, prints, comics, and anything else that the “Lady with the Mystic Smile” could be printed on. When the painting was returned, the country breathed a sigh of relief. After two years of emptiness, the half-smiling, half-frowning woman was back. In the first two days after the Mona Lisa was rehung, an estimated 100,000 people came to view the filled space. Upon its return, the value of the painting grew exponentially. The Mona Lisa had become more than a painting; it had become a symbol, a myth, a legend, and a priceless artifact.
“Priceless” is a heavy word, even heavier than the monetary estimate of $800 million, and it begs the question: have we placed this art on too high a pedestal, and at what cost?
There is a painting parallel to the Mona Lisa-“The Wedding Feast at Cana” by Paolo Veronese- that is a stately 22 by 32.6 feet wide. It is absolutely jaw-dropping and breathtaking, with an incredible level of detail. Our tour guide this spring recommended this piece in place of the Mona Lisa, and I’d have to agree with her suggestion. Surrounded by a crowd distracted by a seemingly underwhelming portrait, I asked myself a question, as I now ask you.
How many other masterpieces have we overlooked to see the Mona Lisa?
