|
|
The Ten Greatest Portraits
Ever Painted
Ten immortal masterpieces
that tower over all the rest.
10. Leonardo Da Vinci, 1452-1519
Mona Lisa
There
has been a great deal of nonsense
written about this rather ordinary
painting. It occupies a place among
the "ten greatest" only
because of its high popular recognition—it
is the best-known painting in the
world. Yes, Da Vinci's picture had
a strong influence on the artists
of the Renaissance (test #2) and,
yes, the hands are beautifully modeled
and there is a certain dreamy charm
here, but we are forced to say that
Mona Lisa utterly fails test
#4. There is simply no reality here—the
painting does not evoke the aura of
a living human being.
I
don't mean to upset those who love
this picture—I know there are
many who hold it in very high regard.
After all, Mona Lisa is the number
one tourist attraction in the City
of Paris, perhaps the principal travelers'
attraction in all of Europe. The millions
who stand in line at the Louvre for
a quick glimpse of this famous beauty
are attracted mostly, I suspect, by
her sheer unparalleled celebrity.
We portrait painters find few lessons
to learn in the glacial refinement
of her contours and the fairytale
quality of the background. What did
she really look like?
Louvre
Museum, Paris
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
Site
created by A Stroke of Genius, Inc.
|
