The Mona Lisa Stolen

Source: Fine Arts Journal, Vol. 25, No. 4 (OCTOBER 1911), pp. 222-224
Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/23906277
Accessed: 21-02-2018 05:54 UTC

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THE STOLEN MONA LISA

Painted By LEONARDO DA VINCI

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 The Mona Lisa Stolen
By THE EDITOR

THEREmotive
is noofuse
the thief who carried oft" face, though in an inferior way. It is a
in guessing as to the the members' pictures recall vividly this
Leonardo da Vinci's celebrated por- mysterious face, somewhat uncanny, mak
trait, "la Jaconde," or "Mona Lisa," from ing every one stop and ask himself : "Did
the Louvre. The newspapers have amused I ever see such a person anywhere?" The
the public with numberless theories about two eyes are not exactly alike ; one seems
it. So all is settled, as far as can be, un- slyly winking; a wicked wink, possibly,
til the picture and thief are in the hands though most dignified withal. The mouth
of the French authorities. If taken for bears a vague smile, in keeping with the
ransom, the risk in getting the money will expression of the eyes. The figure sits
be measureless. If taken for love, the ad- very erect and ladylike, with long aristo
mirer must burn the midnight oil in order cratic hands placidly folded at the waist,
to dare look at it. We may have to wait Abundant dark hair frames this face, fall
twenty years before a fortunate turn in ing, unadorned and careless, over both
affairs throws the canvas back to us. By shoulders. This combination certainly
the way, there is no canvas. A wooden reveals the striking originality of the
panel was used, according to the custom of painter, and surely never fails to affect
Leonardo's time ; a plank of wood, prop- seriously the susceptible,
erly cleated or "cradled" on the back, "Mona Lisa" was the wife of a Floren
measuring three feet—certainly an awk- tine of high rank, one Gioconda. Her real
ward object to hide under one's cloak and name was Lisa del Gioconda, hence, the
get past the guards. Then what graft French know this picture as the portrait
was used to induce the guards to look the of "La Joconde." Many claim that it has
other way? The French nation, and all been ruined by cleaners and restorers; but
other nations, feel pretty sore to think I assure you that none would suspect it,
that such an event could, by any possibil- so very genuine does it now look. It is
ity, happen. said that Leonardo spent four years in
Scores of writers have risen up to de- painting the work. So let it
clare that this picture is a marvel ; other no one imagine that there w
scores declare it not so very worthy of tings for over one thousand
admiration, picking out every sort of bad- days.
ness in the painting and subject. How- The period in which Leonardo lived
ever, the majority of visitors to the Louvre must be understood in order to compre
have heartily admired every part of it for hend many points in the portrait. At the
these many, many years, and its attractive- end of the fifteenth and opening of the
ness seems to be lasting. Passing by, for wonderful sixteenth centuries, when Botti
the moment, its execution and coloring, celli was in favor, and Michael Angelo a
the remarkable features are the general baby, Leonardo was born, at a castle called
shape and character of the face, the mouth "Vinci," not far from Florence,
and eyes. It is a strange face, quite unlike Examining any painting from the fif
anything else, except the same sort of teenth century it will be seen that the figures
subject in the hands of a little company of are a trifle stiff, their edges sharp cut, and
imitators, of no considerable account. The certain peculiar wrinkles in clothing mark
"School of Leonardo" was not large, but the cloth. All faces are inclined to be

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 224 THE MONA LISA STOLEN

flat and conventionally colored, n

like nature. Leonardo is considere
one who opened the style of the six
century; who prepared the way f
Raphael and Titian. He felt natur
actually existed, softened the con
his figures, rounded out his faces,
erably, and revealed many points u
overlooked. But the old style s
his work. There is still some flatness of , .. ^ ¿ • t • 1
. , . . i . i i . . tations were those of the period in which
form, and the wrinkles in clothinp- followed , ^ . r , ,
. . , . . he lived. I he wonderful awakenme to all
the conventions of the past. An examina- . . f
, ,i , , .i . « u. i,., . . sorts of new ideas, which is called the
tion of these details m Botticelli s paint
ings will show this well. In flesh colors the Renaissance> was scarcely a rebirth, because
"Mona Lisa" is original, more like the old, 11 was a true new-birth, a brimming forth
but still inclining to the new. It is some- 'deas which had never existed. The
what pale ; at least not ruddy. All these new men w'10 developed these new ideas
items, the stiffness of the figure, the pecu- were led by Leonardo, and he may rightly
liar old flavor in drapery painting, the pale, be denominated as the father of the Renais
dignified face, and the strange expression, sanee ; not alone as regards painting, but in
all tend to command everyone's attention, science and numerous other lines of a prac
and to excite admiration. tical nature.
Upon my introduction to Mona Lisa, not Think of it, of the condi
knowing anything at all about it, as I was riod ! It seems impossib
young and verdant, the impression made much primitiveness, but
was profound. Even, an untaught stu- simple wheelbarrow, as we n
dent as I was, the qualities of this work invented by Leonardo. An
overwhelmed my senses. During all the simple, the canal lock, was
years since it has stood by its first power, hundreds of water locks now
only growing more and more wonderful, the United States, that dif
Nor can anyone express in words the exact from the drawings left by t
cause of this phenomenal influence. By scientist ; while his written
the way, the archaic mountains behind the the manner of building
figure are nearly as mysterious as the face used as a textbook by en
They are in a near-blue tone, and in keep- recent canal building so
ing with the cool flesh. This mountain anees are used to make easi
landscape is entirely in the manner of the tion of the heavy gates ; but
fifteenth century, not carefully studied ciple remains unchanged,
from nature, but mere fancy. Leonardo was a constructor of military
As treated here, it might as well be a engines, being present at sieges. He de
tapestry hung behind the head. The idea signed the cupola of the Cathedral of
of placing the figure in the landscape did Milan, planned and conducted pageants
not exist. Even Titian, coming later, paint- and ceremonials and festivals. He did
ed the figure on the background instead of sculpture, was a musician and writer on
within its atmosphere. A century and a science and art. Anatomy, botany, as
half later, Poussin—good landscapist that tronomy, chemistry, geology and geogra
he was—hardly understood the unity of fig- phy occupied the greater part of his
lire and landscape, the latter being still a thoughts. His art master was Verroccio,
background. who made the wonderful equestrian status
Probably the idea of giving the land- of General Colleoni, to be se
scape its rights of considering that rocks, duction at the Art Institute of

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