For one of my homework assignments this week, I decided to make the point that the Mona Lisa long ago surpassed being a mere portrait. I did this, in part, by stenciling the word "recycle" over the image. It has passed into history as an artistic icon. I'd also say it is officially in the realm of symbol and metaphor...that people all over the world use time and time again. You know how to tell if your work has reached this level?
You know your painting is more than a painting when....
Lego's has built a representation of it,
Miss Piggy... 
Lisa Simpson ... 
The Far Side cartoons ...
Kim Possible ...
and Madame Tussuad's have all imitated it. And that's not even the tip of the iceberg! I used probably about 100 images of interpretations, parodies, recreations, and reinventions of the Mona Lisa for my project. And there's so many more out there. It's infinite.
I have my BFA in illustration and have quite a few years of art history under my belt. I know all the Mona Lisa history and even some of her "secrets", and I'm still not really sure why it is so popular.
I studied for a winter in France. I went to the Louvre. There were other paintings by Da Vinci that I found much more interesting hanging right outside the door to the gallery that the Mona Lisa was in. Yet, the crowd was so thick around this small portrait that you could barely get through. I might get some backlash for this, but....though it was nice to see it in person, I wasn't super impressed. I wanted to go look at Da Vinci's ginormous painting of Saint Anne, Mary, and Jesus outside in the long gallery:
Gorgeous, right? And no one was standing in front of it except me with my sketchbook. Sigh. Don't get me wrong, I don't hate the Mona Lisa. It's just that people miss out on a lot of fabulous work when they narrow their view on art history down to a couple paintings. What are your favorite (non-iconic) paintings?
9 comments:
love the lego one!!
Besides some cute artist interpretations of the Mona Lisa (which I didn't post here) I think my fav is Miss Piggy. Then again, I love Muppets. (o:
Very cute!
Great post, I think the Lego Lisa is the one for me.
I think it's been so popularized by pop culture, that's why there's a huge crowd in front of the Mona Lisa. I do find the other painting by him more intriguing also. There's definitely more to look at, for one thing! :D
Quite a collection of interpretations. :)
I also thought the Mona Lisa was kind of a let down but it's been built up so much how could it not be? Even it's probably also considered iconic one of my fave things at The Louvre is the statue of Cupid and Psyche. I could stare at that for hours.
Sarah - that's true. A lot of hype usually = a lot of let down.
That Cupid and Psyche statue is gorgeous! (I was obsessed with that myth for a little while in college. I have a cupid & psyche pendant. Lol.)
One of my favorite non-iconic paintings is "St. Joseph the Carpenter" by Georges de La Tour. I was able to see this one in person, and the lighting in it is amazing! I love how the fingers are glowing...
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