Da Vinci Tricked Everyone With A Secret Illusion

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Have you ever looked at the Mona Lisa and wondered why she’s so famous? 8 million people go to the Louvre every year just to see the Mona Lisa. But once they arrive, they only spend about 15 seconds actually looking at her. Which begs the question: Is the Mona Lisa REALLY worth the hype?
In 1503, Leonardo da Vinci was approached by a wealthy silk merchant named Francesco del Giocondo to paint a portrait of his 24-year old wife, Lisa. What started as a run-of-the-mill portrait turned into Leonardo da Vinci’s magnum opus. A masterpiece the artist would continue working on until his death. A painting he would never part with.
The story of how the Mona Lisa became the most famous painting in the world is a messy one. In 1911, she was stolen from the Louvre by a man named Vincenzo Peruggia who falsely believed France possessed the painting because Napoleon Bonaparte stole it from Italy. The world was fascinated by the theft and it became a national scandal seemingly overnight. This event undoubtedly accelerated the Mona Lisa’s rise to fame.
That being said, if there were an alternate reality where the Mona Lisa was never stolen, I believe she would still be famous. The Mona Lisa had many admirers before the heist and she was created by one of the greatest geniuses who ever lived. In addition. Leonardo da Vinci used many innovative techniques to create the Mona Lisa. I think there’s a good chance Leonardo knew this was his greatest masterpiece and that’s why he never let her go. Thanks for watching!
#arthistory #monalisa #leonardodavinci #classicart #fineart #art
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[@fintan9218]

This is why we should appreciate being able to see high resolution images so easily online. I could definitely see how in person it’s disappointing, standing in a crowd of people with only a few moments to look. Also the size, and how far you have to stand away.

[@Art_Deco]

Totally agree. I think people think she's a lot bigger than she actually is and feel underwhelmed when they see her in person 🤨

[@bubbles581]

Yes soooo many people have told me they were underwhelmed by it and that it was much smaller than they expected.

[@jek9911]

I saw it at one of the Smithsonian museums in DC about 20 yrs ago...it was small, secured behind glass and surrounded by a stifling crowd...too much hype. I never saw the smile until Art Deco explain it.

[@fintan9218]

@@Art_Deco i have a nice scale replica, see it every morning above the toilet 😅Really truly love your videos by the way, I’ve learned a lot and they’re entertaining

[@andreasunshine8002]

But it's a good lesson in life isn't it? 😂 There are so many things in life we expect to be amazing until we see reality and realise it's not like we expected it. It's still wonderful (as the painting definitely is) but not as we expected it.

[@panqueque445]

I'm not surprised people spend so little time seeing it. The painting is so small, and you're only allowed to see it from a distance, even if you're at the front of the group, so you can't really see much. You can see it in more detail through a screen than in person. Not to mention, this painting is everywhere, so seeing it in person is probably a "oh, I guess that's it" moment.

[@Gyggz]

Not that small,, Its twice the size of the average renaissance portrait which makes it unusually large.

[@laraantipova389]

I went there and I was able to see it close, but the line was moving along and it seemed rude to not move along. That’s probably why people keep moving. You could easily spent hours there and it’s full of masterpieces.

[@L3A_12]

it's not small. and also you can see it up close you just have to wait 15-20 minutes. you just don't see it for that long because they limit how long you can stand it the front.

[@hummus_exual]

What I love about Leonardo is that, aside from being a genius, he was also a chaotic gremlin who loved to get his hands dirty, experiment with new and disgusting foods, and play the stupidest pranks on people. I’d want to be his friend

[@ksy4747]

Actually, that totally tracks with true geniuses.

[@ksy4747]

And I, too, would want to be friends with him lol just for the stupid pranks alone

[@ecurewitz]

Sounds like a pretty cool guy

[@CaraTheStrange]

They had us in the first half not gonna lie

[@flamingaish]

can you recommend some good books on him?

[@LadyLocket]

“She can be whatever you want her to be” This is the heart of the painting. I've had people tell me they love her because she's so delicate, demure and modest with a shy smile. I've also had people say they love her for her boldness, challenging eye contact, strength and mocking smirk. The only thing everyone seems to agree on is that she appears to be wanting to say something to the viewer but choosing not to, for reasons only she knows but will never tell.

[@jamesrobiscoe1174]

There was a Nat King Cole song in August, 1950 entitled "Mona Lisa" I remember it still, though I was only 6.

[@cameronrobinson8742]

Very demure, very modest

[@jashandeep9652]

Please never stop making these videos.

[@womerine]

There's ENDLESS material so hopefully we'll have many more.

[@roxelanaorc4065]

Agreed.

[@twinklej5459]

Ikr. She makes it so interesting ❤

[@antoniocasias5545]

?

[@truefairytale164]

Not till the end of time itself 😊😊😊😂❤

[@CCela1608]

She truly is incredible in person. She doesn't look like a painting but a real woman with full dimension, the light reflecting off her skin, the rounded features of her face changing with each direction that you see her from. Yes, you wait in a winding queue to see her. But if you just SEE her with your eyes and let your phone stay in your pocket, the experience of her in person glory is otherworldly. Totally worth it.

[@aris1956]

Unfortunately, people today see the world, see things more through the lens of a smartphone than through their own eyes. Not only when going to music concerts or other events, but also when standing in front of a work of art, the greatest work of art in the world such as Mona Lisa. Ciao from Italy ! 🇮🇹

[@Whatdoiuseforahandle]

Hmmm. Not really

[@bryandungee1029]

“Glory” “otherworldly” wow

[@lucasoheyze4597]

The emperor's new clothes are FANTASTIC

[@rowynnecrowley1689]

Da Vinci was a fascinating character and I highly recommend anyone read up on his actual life. He used to pick out the fugliest people he could find, follow them around all day, then go home and draw their picture. He was a pacifist, but was often contracted to build machines for war because dude's gotta eat. He's defi high on my list of dead people to talk to.

[@Art_Deco]

He would be the person I would choose to have dinner with! Thank you for your comment!

[@shannykinredgate3451]

I would love to hang out with him and Ben Franklin lol could you imagine?

[@evelynzlon9492]

He's not dead. He's undead. It's hypothetically possible to talk to him but he's stuck up and proud of it. And the Mona Lisa looks like she's moving because she's actually alive. Especially now. The glass pyramid in front of the Louvre endowed her with a consciousness and she's the image of the beast described in Revelations. And Da Vinci still tricks your mind into perceiving the same subject from multiple angles. Boy did he f**k me up that way. He happens to be my great-great-great grandpa by another name, so he actually singled me out and F**KED. ME. UP. It wasn't hard to f**k me up because I'm a low-status female who's invariably attracted to guys who are out of my league. My parents are divorced. It's a daddy issue. In my case that's some serious s**t. I recently watched a video about a rich British guy who got away with murdering his housemaid after he impregnated her. There were a slew of comments by people whose impoverished female ancestors went crazy and had to be institutionalized after their trysts with elite males. Boy were b**ches f**ked up.

[@evelynzlon9492]

I think Da Vinci's mother may indeed have been Chinese. Or rather, he was a native of Atlantis whose mother was from Lemuria. People who can afford a Chinese garden can appreciate the changing perspectives of the Chinese garden--an obvious inspiration for this painting. He's also presently a musician whose songs sometimes have a distinctive Eastern flair. Ne'ertheless he's both a head of the beast from the sea, and the spokesman thereof. He wears many hats and is also a mythical siren whose song lures the unsuspecting to their deaths.

[@evelynzlon9492]

The vampire's wife is also Chinese. So is one of his original bandmates. However he is fundamentally an Aryan male with a few additional Asian-derived talents who believes that the Chinese should join the Roman Empire. Or invade it. You never can quite tell. Again with the eye-crossing sense of perspective he imbues into everything he does.

[@xarenanotmyrealname4134]

I think my favorite thing someone has said about the Mona Lisa is actually from a movie the character after he saw it for the first time ever said 'She laughs at me as if she knows something I do not' I think that encapsulates exactly what the Mona Lisa and her creator was going for.

[@danikajayde8577]

Ever After?

[@xarenanotmyrealname4134]

@@danikajayde8577 Yep. 😁

[@patriciamay6396]

Great “Ever After” reference

[@f0xygem]

That's a good description of a mom.

[@mimsydreams]

I think the disappointment comes from the fact that a lot of us grew up being shown this painting in media, and they always showed it being a large portrait. I'm 40 years old and I have never been to the Louvre. I only learned it wasn't a huge painting maybe 5-6 years ago.

[@zitronentee]

The same with The Little Mermaid statue in Copenhagen. It's not a big statue

[@dawn5227]

I have been to the louvre and seen this painting and it is indeed lacking and disappointing to view. I wasn't struck by it at all.

[@eh1702]

@@dawn5227 I also went to see it, and simply couldn’t see it. Too dim, too far away. And also always tall people in the crowd step to the front.

[@leonardodalongisland]

I'm the biggest DaVinci fan I've ever know and would Love to see any of his work in real life, but standing like lemmings with a 100 cell phones held in front of everyone's face is not my idea way of seeing any art. I'd rather break at night- alone, take my time with her and share with my new cellmates what I saw than be trapped in a sea of tourist.

[@moonloversheila8238]

It’s actually very small and behind thick bulletproof glass. I was very disappointed when I saw it!

[@mattwillis3219]

I think the reason why few people get he chance to really see Leo's famous portrait in all its beauty is due to the circumstance of its display, sadly it is placed behind a thick acrylic tamper proof glass, with minimal lighting as to limit the degradation from radiation. There really should be an accurate copy made that can then be displayed correctly without the glass and with bright daytime lighting. Amazing work Art Deco, this is the best review of the Mona Lisa ever. Cant wait for the next one!

[@shilohmonroe-donovan]

Considering that the Mona Lisa has been stolen once or twice, they don’t want to take any precautions

[@wordforger]

There is, supposedly, a possible unfinished previous version of her painted by Da Vinci himself, but that provenance is seriously disputed by a lot of people. In it, Mona Lisa is a bit younger, there's some columns that don't appear in the more famous portrait, and the background is unfinished. Even so, I find it a more pleasant painting to look at than the undisputed one.

[@dilloinitaliano]

Calling him “Leo” is an insultI, it’s like calling Michelangelo “Mickey”

[@erinyes3943]

@@dilloinitaliano I would never insult the other ninja turtles like that :(

[@johndef5075]

And some activist just threw soup on it. Unfortunately the glass appears necessary.

[@Smartie234]

I saw the Mona Lisa and was also like 'why is this one so hyped?' Now I understand. And I absolutely love it. Thank you so so much. I love this channel

[@ChuckStaley]

I'm now 92 years old, but I clearly remember seeing the Mona Lisa painting in 1954. There were billions less people then, and I was all alone in the Louve at around closing time. The thing that struck me is that I could feel the ENERGY coming from the Mona Lisa painting. I must have stayed looking at it for half an hour or more, enjoying the good vibes that I was getting back from it. Eventually the one guard who was there alone politely told me it was closing time and I thanked him and left. If anyone is a Frankofile and wants to see Paris in 1954, stop by... 😎

[@kimberlypatton205]

As he aged, I am sure his genius matured. It became easier and more sure of himself and it culminated in perfection with which he could pretty much amaze himself. As an amateur watercolorist myself, all I can add is that there are those “golden days” which come forth from within that we are effortlessly able to produce art that rises above our own expectations… days when every stroke or line seems to feel like it comes from such a level of perfection that we ourselves are blown away. It is a feeling that comes from a place that is indescribable. Those days are golden. Those are where masterpieces come from , it is like a sudden urge, a propulsion you wake u with and it doesn’t abate until you grab your paints & brushes and release it. Just my own experience! I love this channel and your great insights and finny interjections! I hang on every word! And I can hardly wait until you put forth a new video!!!

[@annettefournier9655]

I am amazed at what a hot mess my watercolors are until the last fi Islington strokes.😂

[@f0xygem]

This portrait is not about Da Vinci aging and maturing . 🙄 It is what Lincoln called "the Mystic chords of memory". This is obviously a portrait of his mother whom he last saw when he was 5 years old.

[@theGreta]

The reason viewers don't look at the painting for more than a few moments is because they _can't._ The gallery that Mona Lisa occupies is quite large and is so packed full of other viewers that it's difficult to even get to the painting, much less make a study of it. When/if a viewer manages to break through the crowd and stand before the painting, there is still a velvet rope keeping the viewers separated from the painting by a few feet (at least that's what was there when I visited in 2005). The painting is a bit small, so many itty bitty details are not visible. This video gives us such a fantastic view of her, and the research was presented well. Thank you for sharing this with the world ❤️

[@shellyirby9828]

Wow! Ive never seen the copy before! To see the Mona Lisa as it was originally is Truly incredible! Thank you for sharing this .

[@michael32A]

Totally agreed, and I'd rather see that version in many ways.

[@Tn-qr1kb]

I can see the eyebrows- on the Mona Lisa today

[@ChristianIce]

I was always curious why people think that "the painting looking at me" is something extremly complicated or magic. All you have to do is draw the pupils as perfect circles, which is what you see when somebody stares at you. Take a selfie on your phone looking at the lens. The picture will "always" look at you, no matter the angle you watch it from. Same is for trillion of portraits, the thing is not really special :)

[@emilybarclay8831]

The Mona Lisa is a brilliantly painted portrait but it’s not particularly better than the average portrait by a master. It’s famous because of its historical value and story, not the painting itself

[@joshieecs]

Like all "fine art" the point is the high value is money laundering

[@lounirs]

It makes me sad to think about all the wonderful paintings that get ignored at the Louvres because all tourists care about is the Mona Lisa

[@amyadams2253]

@@lounirs I really didn't want to see the Mona Lisa on principle when I visited the Louvre but my husband insisted we see it. I just don't care for the painting and don't really understand the hype. I was much more excited to see the Giotto paintings and medieval death statues; to each one's own I suppose.

[@lounirs]

@@amyadams2253 i hope you had fun !!

[@TheDoktorlubicz]

@@lounirsmy thoughts exactly! I was in MET a month ago and there was A LOT of people standing in front of van Gogh's "Starry Night" and I felt they were all taking pictures of it because they knew it from tv etc., not because they really like and appreciate it. At least not all of them. I wonder if they even noticed his other paintings hanging on the same wall 🫥

[@channelsixtyeight068_]

How much of this admiration for the painting is because it is socially expected, rather than genuine.

[@Gorgonzeye]

Nearly all. Just show it to people under a different name and see how unimpressed they are.

[@channelsixtyeight068_]

@@Gorgonzeye Just as I suspected. Thank you.

[@costrio]

I consider that the Mona Lisa was "state of the art," lieterally, in it's day. We consider the first cell phone (brick sized) to be primitive today, but back then they had the "wow factor" of being a very expensive toy, I think. Today's graphics will likely seem to be so primitive in a couple of decades, let alone hundreds of years from now, IMO.

[@JohnnyArtPavlou]

… I’d like to know what level of resolution we see things with our eyes. Certainly other creatures have better eyesight than we do. I suppose we’re already at the point where we can produce images of greater detail than we can detect with our naked eyes. That was surely come a time where we are and coding visual material so densely that will need special viewers to decode it. There are already people who are making pictures within pictures within pictures that seem to go on and on into infinity. I think some of that is going to happen with virtual reality, goggles… And virtual space on the holodeck, and all of that. It’s just gonna be sad that we are going to spend more more time in the spaces rather than in the beautiful nature that we have inherited and are destroying day by day.

[@costrio]

@@JohnnyArtPavlou Long term effects on human vision from modern tech? Lots of food for thought there. It's been said that we are the first species on Earth to have reached the point where we can now replace natural evolution with self-directed evolution. Do we get replaced by AI or become it. "Aye, there's the rub!" IMO.

[@Foxglove963]

Is it really?! Have a look at the medieval paintings by Jan van Eyck, it'll shock you how colorful and expressive his portraiture is!

[@Foxglove963]

@@costrio The AI is merely another hype, it uses the info of 20 years on the internet, it's all there already. This is the forebode of an improved and rather different computer revolution. Be more CRITICAL of all the hype. The truth is out there and it's coming to you soon.

[@f0xygem]

Nope. This portrait transcends time itself.

[@DontFollowZim]

I think people just stare too hard at her for no reason because I don't see any of these "tricks". She always looks like she has a small smile on, no matter where I focus. The background crookedness doesn't appear to do anything for me, and she doesn't even seem to be looking at me... she's looking just over my right shoulder......

[@r0bw00d]

I found myself saying, "If you say so," several times. I don't see two horizons and the smile doesn't change no matter where I look.

[@victoriawilliams6156]

I love the art reviews that this lady does ..they are fascinating, funny, whimsical, serious… Only a true art lover could look at a painting and see things with such clarity, depth and diversity.

[@thebrokelife6168]

I cant express how much i love this channel! It's so nice to have a art channel that's fun and educational!!!

[@warpathh]

That is not two different horizon lines… the waterway travels off in the distance and reveals itself on the right…

[@ibRebecca]

Yeah that’s what I thought lol

[@fmor2779]

I would pick A Bar at the Folies-Bergère better over the Mona Lisa any day of the week, but it's just another lesson in how taste and personal preferences can play a part in art and how everyone has a different way to interpretate a piece of art. For those who love this painting, I get you, but when I see this painting it gives me the feeling that she is trying hard to listen to me but she can only pretend to do it at best. Still I liked knowing more about it's history and details, it's hard thinking how Mona Lisa wasn't as famous as she is now.

[@davidanderson_surrey_bc]

And who, exactly, is forcing you to choose between the two?

[@technojunkie123]

It’s funny, I was actually was surprised how big Mona Lisa was in person! Everyone told me she was tiny, so when I visited the Louvre I was expecting to see some miniature portrait - instead I was shocked to see it was over two and a half feet long 😂

[@michaeljohnangel6359]

At last!! An intelligent and well informed commentary on the Mona Lisa! I can't thank you enough-it made this old man happy. Let me add a couple of points: In the early 1500s, this was the most realistic portrait anybody had ever seen (even more so than the Flemish paintings of the early 1400s). This was due to Leonardo's sfumato, which created the illusion of atmosphere and air wrapping around the forms. A second point is the famous smile. "Giocondo" in Italian means happiness, playfulness; the smile is a pun on her name. Leonardo was fond of puns-another example is the juniper bush ("ginepro" in Italian) that is behind Ginevra de' Benci in Leonardo's 1474-1476 portrait of her. It's also worth pointing out that Vasari never saw the Mona Lisa-his "descriptions" of her were based on second-hand conversations and his own flights of fancy, and should be taken with a pinch of salt.

[@DuaShakoor-gc4eh]

I am literally painting it right now . these videos are so underrated and are amazing . i completely agree with you . I LOVE THESE VIDEOS SO MUCH AGHHHH

[@Art_Deco]

Thank you so much!

[@jaimineepatel4464]

@@Art_Deco You deserve so much praise. Keep it up!

[@Lololeelee]

I just did an oil pastel of her. She is a fun subject. I love other renditions of her. Thanks!

[@piffba]

Every time I’m enjoying myself with some rich art history, Freud just HAS to sneak in with his “hihihoho it’s his MOTHER” theories

[@Tina-zf8gt]

I mean what kind of art video doesn't have Freud sneaking in to make claims about people's mothers 😂

[@rolandoscar1696]

According to the book "World's Greatest Heists", there was a genius conman, whose unbelievably brilliant story about stealing the Mona Lisa is described. Our hero had in his employ a few artists, who could paint perfect replicas of any masterpiece, (and he was also friends with Vincenzo, whom you mentioned above, but more of that later.) He could spot a fool a mile away at social functions, and sold off many copies to them. Rembrandt's, Monet's, you name it. One artist was commissioned by our hero to paint six copies of the Mona Lisa, while the latter sailed off to America to find six buyers, they being made aware of the secrecy of owning such a hot item. Easily done. On his return, our hero instructs Vincenzo to steal the painting on the one regular day every week the Louvre is shut down for cleaning. As he built the case around the painting, it was easily dismantled in the stairwell, the painting rolled up and hidden in his coat. He shows our hero the painting in his rented room. Our hero tells him to hide it behind a facade wall, and await further instructions, then steams back to America with his six copies. US Customs was not yet aware the painting was stolen, because the Louvre management were so embarrassed, they did a media blackout for a long time. The six copies were cleared. By the time the news was finally announced, our hero was knocking on the first of the six doors. As for Vincenzo, he never got his further instructions, and peeved, offered to sell it to an Italian museum, as a gesture of patriotism. Italian police awaited him with handcuffs.

[@fleetcenturion]

His "gesture of [Italian] patriotism" was also completely misplaced, since it was never intended to reside in Italy at all. DaVinci gave the Mona Lisa to the King of France as a gift, upon arrival to his court. Without the royal invitation, DaVinci would have died penniless. It was given as a gratitude, for allowing him to live out his days at the estate of his royal patron, surrounded by artists and scientists, eager to learn from such a master. This is also likely why the Mona Lisa was finished (or started) using DaVinci's own dimensions-- because he could not afford another model.

[@rolandoscar1696]

@@fleetcenturion Indeed. Further to Da Vinci's model, l saw a picture where half the face is Mona's, and the other half a famous seepia self- portrait of his old face. The proportions are identical.

[@lolk7726]

this is so interesting!

[@Gyggz]

Hi...Leonardo was far from poor as is revealed by his detailed will which is worth reading. He still had property in Italy. The King was never gifted either painting during his lifetime and there is no evidence how he received them. As for not being able to afford a model, there is no way the subject ever saw this painting a it took too long to paint. Since he wrote himself that models were unnecessary it's more likely to be a construct. @@fleetcenturion

[@Gyggz]

They are if you change the proportions in photoshop to fit. Unfortunately the drawing so often used was not even by Leonardo.

[@lseward21]

Aside from the distance that visitors have to stand away from the painting, most viewers are not familiar with how this painting was new in its pose ( in addition to the frontal gaze, showing her hands was not the norm, etc). It also has a protective glass over it which obscures details of the color and strokes of the painting. In Rome I was fortunate to see Michelangelo’s Pieta before it was attacked, repaired, and had a protective glass installed. The first time I saw it, I was amazed at how life-like the marble figures appeared. After the protective glass was installed, it looks flat and much less impressive.

[@dominikaandglebshchemenok1384]

Calling the most popular painting on earth "mid" is one of the most controversial claims of all time lmao. Love your vids a lot

[@westzed23]

I saw the Mona Lisa in 1975. There were no crowds about and absolutely no photography allowed. Someone who had seen the painting years before I did, said that she wasn't impressed. When I saw it I was impressed. In person you can see brush strokes and the soft light on the painting. Her smile is enigmatic. If I get to the Louvre again I will go see the painting once more. I hope that it will be a day with less of a crowd.

[@kimberlypatton205]

It’s what it is because he loved it so too! It must have been his most beloved work to himself, the hardest thing for an artist is that sense of feeling and know the “finality” of that work- when you should put down the brush and decide it is done. Obviously he never was quite satisfied for himself with it… he always saw something that he needed to add….

[@westzed23]

@@kimberlypatton205 Yes. He kept it with him in all his travels.

[@vplan]

I couldn't see any strokes behind the glass with thousands people in front

[@westzed23]

@@vplan I was there during the new year and many years ago. The painting just a single barrier around and a guard. I'm now glad that I saw the painting then.

[@zealous121]

Well, now I'm kinda wishing I'd decided to go to the Louvre when I was in Paris instead of just the Musée D'Orsay. Although I had an excellent time with Van Gogh, so I'm not crying.

[@IreneWY]

Both are worth a visit and can't be compared to each other :)

[@spacecaptain9188]

People give leo too much credit for "his inventions". A lot of them (such as that parachute) didn't work. He's probably not the only person who came up with those ideas (we don't even know that they were all his ideas), he's more likely just a guy who was able to sketch them, and those sketches survived.

[@samwiseraleigh7833]

That 'copied' version is beautiful and I wish it was seen more often.

[@berserkirclaws107]

Leonardo Da Vinci was truly incredible! There is so much I didn't know about this painting. I'm amazing about the effect created by the uneven horizon 🤯 Thank you to put so much work into your videos it's always a pleasure when you release one. 👍

[@sourxpill]

Love all your vids! You've come far with your editing and scripts.

[@Art_Deco]

Thank you!!

[@trashycookie9477]

Just gotta say this lol, I've never understood people's confusion with Lisas smile "She's smiling then she's not", she's always looked simply like she's just subtly smiling personally. It's quite clear and simple

[@hellobookworms3083]

I’m glad I’m not crazy for thinking the Mona Lisa is not all it’s cracked up to be. Sure it’s beautiful but there is so much more equally as good if not better. I’ve been to the Louvre. I feel bad for the other art in the room Mona Lisa is in. She is in a glass case in the center of room. She is smaller than I imagined. And no one is really appreciating her because it’s so busy people just end up taking pictures of her knowing they can get a better look on Google. Meanwhile, Mona Lisa is facing the biggest painting I have ever seen that took up the entire wall of the room. You didn’t know it was there until you were done getting your 15 seconds of the Mona Lisa. It’s The Wedding Feast at Cana by Paolo Veronese. That deserves so much time to be admired just for its size alone. The Mona Lisa overshadows all of the artwork around her and is absolutely overrated.

[@jamesdellaneve9005]

It wasn’t too famous until it was stolen.

[@aksez2u]

I've been to see the Mona Lisa, and looked at it for roughly 15 seconds. Here's why: It's a very small painting with 9000 people trying to see it at the same time. It's easier to study the details somewhere else. In fact the Louvre has a really great interactive website where you can learn a lot about the Mona Lisa. 15 seconds is about how long you need to feel like you can say - I was there.

[@TrineDaely]

Have I told you lately that I love your teaching style? Thank you so much for everything you put into these and presenting it concisely in ways that are easy to understand regardless of your level of art knowledge. And the humor!

[@TrineDaely]

@@GuitarRyder11 Really convincing to call someone "uneducated" when you can't spell "provocative." Also that would be "its existence" with no apostrophe.

[@xXFaithXxEridanXx]

I wish this had come out earlier! I just finished the schoolyear as an art teacher and I was using your videos to model to my students how to analyze artwork, and they loved them. I am certain they would have been fascinated by this one. Thank you for the video.

[@blackvx]

This was great! Thank you! I spent 15 seconds in front of the painting because there were too many people and so much reflection on the protective glass.

[@freyavanir2081]

I've first seen the Mona Lisa in a magazine when I was under or around 5 years old, in a country that was isolated (under Totalitarism) at the time, there was no internet back then and I neither knew or cared for how famous the painting was. I apparently immediately fell in love with her and my parents cut the photo out and framed it for me. I don't remember this instance, but it doesn't matter because I do and will always remember the feeling of not coming back to an empty home (I'm an only child and my parents both worked, so I was often the first one back) when I could just look at her and felt seen and understood; when her eyes that followed me and her barely there maybe-smile could interact with my feelings(good or bad, I would sometimes even feel lovingly scolded); when there was a "friend" on the wall and not just a pretty thing looking down on me. She made me fall in love with art, but I've only once again in my life reacted so strongly to an art piece - and that emotion did last a while, took my breath away and moved me to tears even, but lacked the strong remaining feelings of understanding and companionship the Mona Lisa always blooms in me. So I'm extremely biased in saying she is indeed the most important painting in the world in my eyes. That said, I doubt the experience of looking at her in the Louvre , in a sea of people, from a distance etc, would be that satisfying- so I understand the people that are underwhelmed. (The dimensions don't play a big role for me, the one I had in my house was smaller than the original and I learned early on that she was small irl as well, but I can see people being let down because of that.) Dunno why I actually commented, I guess I just wanted to share the experience. I love her and I'm so happy she was painted!!! (Love Leonardo as well, obviously, and not only because of her, but who knows when and how I would have been introduced to him, had it not been for her.)

[@Axiiiii-666]

6:51, Idk what it is but it is terrifying to me also the there's this trick with her lips, I sometimes think she's just smirking but then again for a split moment her smirks widens and the technique used by Leonardo to make her seem like she's moving is just fascinating. He's the reason why I wished I was born in the 1500's, I could've been his student and ask him any question abt his art style

[@107vikrantdeshmukh4]

Genius for a reason

[@JohnnyArtPavlou]

What could you have been his student? Imagine knowing about this genius but not being able to get any closer to him then you could get to Donald Trump, for instance, I think the tools that we have available to us now and all of the research and everything give us so much more. The thing that I think would make the biggest difference is understanding time. Because it seems to me in the past people lived in a different kind of time. Different sounds. More silence. Things at a slower pace… More time to think, more time to get bored. More time to give attention to a single task.

[@ex-navyspook]

The shear scope of everything it took to make this portrait, and how long it truly took, just blows my mind. Thank you for enlightening me; I had no idea.

[@HansOvervoorde]

I am relieved to have learned that Mona Lisa's yellowish skin is not caused by her having a drinking problem.

[@margaretcraigva]

This analysis was beautifully compiled and presented. It’s fascinating how he manipulated the painting to make it appear dynamic. I look forward to watching more of your videos.

[@edenwayne8407]

Mona Lisa is truly has one of the most tragic stories. A story how a painter, scientist, musician and inventor's legacy have been diluted into one single painting he nor the people of his time didn't care much for. Now Mona Lisa is Da Vinci, Da Vinci is Mona Lisa, and nothing else.

[@yo-en]

this painting scared me so much for some reason, it was kinda creepy. i think i’ll get used to it after this video

[@rainesonne1320]

I think the girl with the pearl earring is superior to the Mona Lisa!

[@ZER0--]

I agree with you, but it's subjective to a large degree.

[@Captain_Neckbeard]

Imaging being a genius at everything. Davinci is such an enigma.

[@rowynnecrowley1689]

I don't think she's looking at the observer. I think she's looking just over that person's shoulder, like she's watching a prank about to unfold.

[@paddypaddy2834]

LOVE your videos!!! I’ve been to the Louvre and it’s 100% true you spend around 15 seconds looking at her - IF you’re able to even get up close. I basically surfed the crowd until I was able to squeeze up front past all the selfie takers, got a quick pic which ended up being poor quality, and didn’t get to appreciate the painting at all.

[@Pink0071]

"All we have to do is look at the Mona Lisa to know that the best art is really just beautiful science." ❤

[@TorQueMoD]

She's not looking directly at the viewer. She's looking off to the side.

[@This-Is-My-Little-Corner]

This channel should be in every art class in school. It is so underrated and the best education on paintings I have ever found. Love your education!

[@hippolyte90]

Mona Lisa is sort of the victim of its own fame. Everyone grows up with Mona Lisa in the pop culture, we see her in movies, tv shows, on book covers, in art books and on posters and all the close ups allows us to see all the small details down to the embroidery on her dress and the individual strands of hair on her head. Then we see her in the Louvre and the portrait is tiny, encased behind glass and there's an enormous crowd of people in front of you who also want to see it and take pictures. And if you manage to get to the front you don't have any time to admire it and take it in as there are other people pressing on to see it as well. It's like Mona Lisa is something you can only admire from afar. Lastly, I don't think it's overrated or "just" famous for being stolen, it's undoubtedly a beautiful painting that draws the eye due to the technical aspects you pointed out in your video. Like "Girl with pearl earring", it's a painting that leaves you wondering and wanting to know more, which is where its power lie.

[@hemrainsford6920]

The way you described Leornardo Da Vinci makes me think of Walt Disney. Da Vinci may have been well renowned for his paintings, sculptures and sketches, but perhaps he may have wanted his legacy to be in his scientific endeavors and maybe even his music. Walt Disney was the same; although he is synonymous with his movies and cartoons, Disney wanted his legacy to be in the progress he helped portray in Tomorrowland as well as the first draft of Epcot: Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow. Both gifted individuals who had a passion for more than their legacies show.

[@teenygozer]

The fascinating thing about Disney is that he thought the future would be EXACTLY the way it was in the 50s societally, just the devices would be modern. Mommy, a pretty white lady, would still be tasked with cleaning the home, she'd just be directing a robot to do it. Daddy, a cis white male, would report to work outside the home, but he'd commute in a flying car. It never occurred to him that society would change dramatically.

[@janel342]

That was a bit of a shock comparison! I guess all who are not American may have found it so. Don’t get me wrong. There’s a lot I love about America- I lived there for a while- but being in Europe goes with an awareness of many other countries beside one.

[@lauramason5667]

Factors that make this painting, unique and special are that it’s a portrait of unknown person with a natural landscape background. Nobody back then was painted outdoors. This made it very unusual. Wonderful documentary and thank you so much. I think I’ll follow you.😊

[@theunintelligentlydesigned4931]

She IS smiling, even when looking at her mouth in close up. It's just that her smile, instead of being an ear to ear grin, is a sly, subtle smile, barely a smile, the kind of smile a woman with a secret might have. She has a knowing smile and the way she looks directly at you is like she knows your secrets. Yet she is both unnerving and so gentle and accepting at the same time. It's a more seductive smile than it would be if she was smiling from ear to ear. She is a powerful and self assured woman.

[@savioemc2]

Regarding the focus on details and peripherical vision, if you look at just one side of her mouth, you see her smiling, but if you focus on the other side, you can see sadness; here's (also) why she's so enigmatic: because you see her smiling but something seems out of tune in some way.

[@pinkyhodgkins2185]

I have to agree, I was a bit disappointed when I first saw the Mona Lisa. I think I appreciate her more after this video! Thank you! 🥰

[@monroerobbins7551]

I think it’s so fascinating that this painting is both an artistic masterpiece, but also a masterpiece in visual engineering. Optical illusions, the application of different painting techniques to make her appear more realistic, it’s so fascinating, and it shows the interdisciplinary mind of Da Vinci, which is just… so bloody rad.

[@cafeAmericano]

Do I think she's overhyped? To an extent. But I don't think that gives people free reign to just bash her because they feel other paintings are superior. She's still in the canon of great artistic masterpieces for a reason.

[@ThrowAway-gu2lw]

Your videos are entertaining, accessible and funny while still being factual and thought provoking.

[@donatodiniccolodibettobardi842]

I haven't noticed two horizons before you mentioned, not sure about any 3D effects. And her half-smile always looked about the same to me, regardless of the angle or point of focus. Weird. Do all people experience that? The look on her face interesting, though, it was nice to learn it's because she's looking directly at us.

[@curtisbryce5096]

I watched a video a year ago where they couldn't confirm the painting was the silk merchants wife as there were no receipts. The assumption is now that the Mona Lisa is Leonardo's idealized vision of the perfect mother he never had. That is what makes it infinitely more precious.

[@smallduck1001001]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/iJaTn2asms1reZY Who is Mona Lisa? The credible theory is that Leonardo was asked to paint for the young son of a Medici and his mistress who had died soon after. Leonardo had never seen her and there were no record of her likeness, so painted whatever motherly face he wanted, perhaps imagining his own mother thus the similarity to his self portrait. I think the son died young as well and Leonardo took the painting from Florence to France. An early biographer has seen the unnamed portrait there, and also records of a commissioned painting unaccounted for, and conflated the two. Given how shit historians were in prior centuries this makes sense :) More sense than carting a commissioned painting all over Europe for years and years continually working on it and never delivering it. There's hints too that the real commissioned work was never finished and ended up in possession of Leonardo's assistant, subsequently lost.

[@bridgetandrews6872]

Thankyou so much for your research and engaging presentations on art I would have otherwise never appreciated. I’ve been following for about 6 months and I’m always checking for your next upload! Your channel has helped me understand how to look at great art in a way that no classroom has ever done. Not one to normally comment on posts. Just Thankyou.

[@deborahbaker4770]

I don’t see anything you are talking about 😬

[@leeann4743]

I saw the Mona Lisa in 1973. I remember being in awe but also puzzled at how small it was.

[@johnstjohn4705]

Thank you! I learned some things I didn't know. I saw it in 1985... for about 15 seconds. I wasn't disappointed, and I'm glad I did it. I knew I wouldn't be able to spend time examining the painting in detail-that wasn't the purpose. Seeing it in person is one of those things you never forget. I wonder what da Vinci would think if he could see how famous his masterpiece has become.

[@theboringkaren]

I'll never forget somebody warning me about what seeing the Mona Lisa is like before I visited Paris and I'm so glad they did. I got avoid the disappointment although it was a "that happened" moment. It would be nice to see it up close.

[@alexiaivan7708]

I remember I was so hyped back when I was 9 to see Mona Lisa at the Louvre, but was so surprised when I realized how tiny she actually was. Also, there was such traffic, that we couldn’t even stay and admire or study it. We had to come, look at it, then leave. I remember not understanding why we couldn’t look closer to it, but the museum said it was due to fear of it being stolen or destroyed further.

[@artisans8521]

Simple solution. Become a billionaire. Then the Louvre gives you a private audience.

[@alexiaivan7708]

@@artisans8521 yes. It is quite simple, too

[@angelaatwood46]

I see her smile. Why does everyone see this painting as so hard to figure out? The way her eyes are painted, they show lots of pupil dilation, indicating happiness, yet a pond of light comes through them, indicating radiance in her joy. It is painted in a complex manner, once you showed me her eyes up close, there are lines he made in her eyes to indicate soulfulness. Her mouth is uplifted on one side, and the whole face is pulled together to indicate the radiance of joy.

[@awesomedallastours]

That needle drop scratch sound that you use in all of your videos is priceless. In fact, I tune out all of your witty asides until I hear that needle scratch sound. I wish you would do a whole video using that sound effect over and over because its so original and funny.

[@davidanderson_surrey_bc]

Da Vinci: I paint masterpieces that will survive centuries of misadventure. Banksy: I paint curiosities that people pay millions for... then have them shredded immediately upon receipt of payment.

[@lisawintler-cox1641]

If you cover half the image of her face she has two different emotions. On her left she's melancholy, and on the right she's happy. The expression in the eyes changes as well. I have heard the effect was to look like a sort of animated smile. I read he did several copies or iterations as well. Supposedly Raphael burst into tears when he saw it.

[@clarissamachado]

Thank you for these classes on art. You make it really easy to realize things that I could only guess

[@oneminuteofmyday]

I’d never even attempt to see her in person with that crowd. I feel my anxiety climbing just looking at photos of all those people jammed in together. I really enjoy your videos. Thank you for your hard work.

[@IreneWY]

It's relatively empty on weekdays. Paris is a typical weekend trip destination in Europe. Go on a Wednesday in off season, the louvre will be empty 😉

[@oneminuteofmyday]

@@IreneWY Thank you. I don’t know if I’ll ever make it to Paris, or anywhere out of the US, but your suggestion is stored for future reference should the impossible (improbable?) ever happen. I really would love to visit the Louvre some day.

[@IreneWY]

@@oneminuteofmyday I hope you can go one day :)

[@shanester1832]

It's famous for being famous, the original Paris Hilton. Interesting, but a lot if this seems like finding profundity 13:24 where none might be through overanalysis. I don't see 2 horizons. The left side doesn't even have clear horizon line. It's not impossible terrain. The smile is vague, subtle, open to various interpretations.

[@michaelpeters364]

I never understand the "is she smiling?" puzzlement... to me, she always has a slight smile... like the beginning of a broader smile, but just starting... it's wonder is in capturing a fleeting micro-expression, instead of an expression a model could hold for the hours it would take to paint that smile - - something most artists wouldn't be able to do until photography or film could help capture something so fleeting. It doesn't change to me, whether a zoomed in close-up or distanced. It might change if I saw it in person and from different angles, so could experience any optical illusion. I find it fascinating that Leonardo, so famed as painter and scientist, actually made much of his living as a musician... and that sent me Googling... evidently he could play a number of instruments, invented a strange organ that made sounds more like a stringed instrument, a viola organista (similar but less harsh than a harpsicord... sounding like a deep violin, but played with keys) ... and had a greatly admired singing voice.

[@issierh]

I have one complaint about your videos... NOT ENOUGH! I love how informative, engaging and inspiring they are. Thank you and keep up the good work! Request: please cover some of Frida Kahlo's work 🎨

[@selalewow]

I am not seeing the uneven horizon because if you look to the far left edge you see a light blue line that goes behind the mountains or trees and then continues behind her head and opens up on the right side, like it is a body of water being obscured.

[@mimimosa259]

Lmao imagine paying someone for a portrait of your wife but they like their own work so much they keep it 😂

[@masudashizue777]

Makes you wonder why THIS painting came to be regarded as the greatest painting ever. It could have been another painting by another capable artist but it's this painting that we agree as the greatest.

[@kerenhumphreys43]

I bought a print of the mona lisa off ebay and drew eyebrows on her. How she transformed was amazing. I've framed it and everytime I walk past her I realise I have brought her to life.

[@67kemo]

I love that we can safely scan images now and almost perfectly recreate them. It gives us a feel for what the original artist saw when they were making it.

[@bevconklin5172]

Somebody probably painted it for him & gave it to him as a gift & he always kept it dear to him❤️

[@vissttaa]

5:06 The horizen in the student's copy is actually consistent between left and right, showing the same lake to the left and right of the Mona Lisa. There is no incongruence of perspective.

[@lisathornhill6401]

Its amazing that so many works of art are so easily approached in museums. It scares me for the survival of these works.

[@AvivaSingsOut]

She's so much smaller than so many realize - I think they wanted it to be HUGE so they could stare for fifteen minutes next to fifteen people, but could only last 15 seconds because there were so many waiting to get close enough to see her tiny frame.

[@fjmugwump]

I am among the Lucy Ones who got to see the Mona Lisa at the National Gallery of Art in Washington DC when it toured the US. The painting is truly ethereal. As I approached it I noticed slight changes in the visage that made it appear as if her eyes were following me. That impacted me hugely and I marveled at the genius of Da Vinci. The painting was mounted high about 7 or 8 feet up behind protective glass. However you could walk directly up to it. I stared a good long time and fortunately can still recall the incredible image. 👍

[@ChrisW228]

I was only surprised by how small the painting is.

[@sg-vp2qg]

I learned more about the Mona Lisa here than I ever knew. (I saw the painting 40 years ago, and I remember well that feeling of surprise and accompanying disappointment at how fairly small it was and difficult to see from a bit of a distance in the crowd.)

[@KawaiiStars]

the copy/restored version looks AMAZING

[@brothergrimaldus3836]

More John Singer Sargent content please!!!!!!! The story behind the portrait of Teddy Roosevelt is hilarious.

[@SuperCosmicMutantSquid]

Too be honest, I wouldn't be disappointed in seeing the real painting since it means I had the privilege of seeing it at all but it is sort of weird (but cool) that this iconic and detailed picture is so SMALL. If anything, that's a testament to how much detail was put in given that people usually think it's 'easier' to include finer details when you have a larger canvas and more room to work with. 4:23 is a good example not because of the eyebrows but the eyeLASHES which can't be seen in the more famous version of the portrait either. It really brings out the allure of the model and indeed makes the painting almost hypnotic.

[@w8tingforcollege]

More stuff on the Salai part that i found interesting: I remember I watched a documentary on the Mona Lisa and it said that DaVinci was kind of gay and it was illegal back then, so he pretended that he was painting Lisa when he was actually painting Salai. In the documentary they actually put a painting of Salai on top of the Mona Lisa and lowered its opacity, and the resemblance between the two were very similar. If you switch up the words mona lisa they actually spell mon salai, which is the nickname davinci gave to his muse meaning little devil.