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VISUAL ANALYSIS

Mona Lisa
Dimensions: 77 cm x 53 cm
Location: Louvre Museum (since 1797)
Created: 1503
Period: Renaissance
Medium: Oil Paint
Support: Cottonwood
The Mona Lisa is a half-length 2D portrait painting by Italian artist Leonardo da
Vinci. Considered an archetypal masterpiece of the Italian Renaissance, it has
been described as "the best known, the most visited, the most written about,
the most sung about, the most parodied work of art in the world".The Mona Lisa
is a likely a portrait of the wife of a Florentine merchant. For some reason
however, the portrait was never delivered to its patron, and Leonardo kept it

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with him when he went to work for Francis I, the King of France. The Mona Lisa,
like the rest of da Vinci’s paintings, was never signed or dated. When it comes to
the identity of the mysterious Mona Lisa, it is Giorgio Vasari’s theory that is
considered the most official. “Mona” derives from the Italian term “Monna”
meaning “lady,” suggesting Lady Lisa to have been Lisa Gherdinini, the wife of
Francesco Del Giocondo.

Semangat Ledang
Syed Ahmad Jamal
Acrylic on canvas
(203x274.5 cm)
1999
“Semangat” or “Spirit” is meant a conscious, incorporeal being, as opposed to
matter: the world of spirit.’ In this context this definition explains that a spirit is
something intangible that is the opposite of corporeal form. Besides, ‘The
principle of conscious life; the vital principle in humans, animating the body or
mediating between body and soul.’ Here, the definition explains that the spirit is
the driving force or in other words the potential energy that moves an organism
to become kinetic. The word ‘spirit’ is also synonym to life, mind, consciousness
and essence.
Ledang or gunung ledang is a mountain located in west of Malay Peninsula
between the border of Muar and Melaka Malaysia. Gunung Ledang or Mount
Ophir in English is a subject of Malay interest and passion for centuries. It was
depicted numerously in the Malay’s traditional literature and oral traditions. For
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example, In the Hikayat Hang Tuah, Gunung Ledang was depicted as a mountain
of great spirituality which has being a place where Hang Tuah and his fellow
brothers come to seek knowledge and meditate. It have also being mentioned in
several traditional songs such as in the song walinong sari.
Walinong la yang sari
Puteri bestari
Puteri yang cantik dari gunung Banang
Dari gunung Tahan, gununglah Ledang
Turunlah Tuan
In the course of this research we have found that Mount Ledang was not only
related to the Malay people but it has been known to have an ancient relation
to other culture. Gunung Ledang was known by two other names, which are
Mount Ophir and Mount Kim Sua. "The word “Ophir” have been said several
times in the bible which have being a place where king Solomon received a
cargo of gold, silver, sandalwood, precious stones, ivory, apes and peacocks
each every three years" “Ophir” is a Hebrew word "dust," namely, gold dust.”
(Robert Jamieson 1871).The other name is Mount Kim Sua which is used by the
Chinese seafarers to address Gunung Ledang The word “Kim sua” is probably
derived from Hokkien or Taiwanese word kim, or in characters 金 meaning gold
and sua, or 山 meaning mountain.

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FORMAL ANALYSIS

The portrait shows the subject sitting upright and sideways in a chair, with her
face and chest turned slightly towards the viewer: a posture derived from the
'pyramid' image used to depict a sitting Madonna. Her left arm sits comfortably
on the armrest of the chair and is clasped by the hand of her right arm which
crosses her front. The slightly protective position of her arms, as well as the
armrest, creates a sense of distance between sitter and spectator.
The general impression created by the Mona Lisa portrait is one of great
serenity, enriched by a definite air of mystery. The serenity comes from the
muted colour scheme, the soothing sfumato tonality, and the harmony created
by the sitter's pyramid-shaped pose and understated drapery. The mystery
stems from a number of factors: first, her enigmatic half-smile; second, her gaze,

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which is directed to the right of the viewer; her hands which have a slightly
unreal, lifeless quality - almost as if they belonged to a different body.
Her profound gaze follows you around the room, and her expression is a
source of fascination to many. After 500 years of watching her visitors, the
Mona Lisa has maintained ironclad eye contact with all those who let
themselves be absorbed by her mocking smile. Art historians have again
proposed various theories for this fascination with the Mona Lisa. Medical
hypotheses are the most common; where dental issues, facial paralysis and even
thyroid problems are at the root of the Mona Lisa’s captivating aesthetic. The
particularity of the Mona Lisa’s face could simply be due to fading colour over
the centuries.
Scholars have noted that the Mona Lisa is in fairly good condition for its age.
The poplar panel shows some evidence of warping from resistance to its original
frame and to braces added by early restorers. To prevent the widening of a
small crack, visible near the centre of the upper edge of the painting, dovetails
were added to the back of the painting. Restorers later pasted heavy canvas
over the crack and replaced the top dovetail.

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 Looking toward through Gunung Ledang, Datuk Syed Ahamd Jamal was
applied the valuable design of symbolism on this artwork. The factor influenced
him applied this elements because he had exposed to the flow of Abstract
Expressionism while Datuk Syed Ahmad Jamal study at England in year 1950,
which is feeling at around the world. Abstract expressionism in visual arts was
one of flow which can be defined as the freedom to changes the form and
colour for express the mood or emotion. It also explore deeply in worlds of sold
and the result had created the powerful and darkness that hunched it.
Based from ancient history, points to the mountain being the site of rich gold
deposits, luring traders of Malacca called it ‘KimSua’ meaning the ‘Golden
Mountain’. Another source said that the Javanese during the period of the
Majapahit empires named the mountain ‘Gunong Ledang’, which means ‘mount
from afar’. This art painting also applied the esthetic of Islamic Art through the
geometric shape which is triangle. It pictures a style which is an identity that
depiction the personality and national value, society, culture and religion. The
interesting in this art work is the thinking of development which is begin from
the below to the top that to interpreted the symbolism of the spirit mount.
The magical mountain, where the palace of the palace of the princess of
Ledang Mount was believed to be located is symbolized by a large triangle which
is divided into large triangle which reaches upwards from the ground towards
the sky. Besides that, the large triangle that metaphor as Gunung Ledang also
symbol of the universe is known to many world cultures; it has deep roots in
Southeast Asia, appearing at a number of historical periods and in widely belief
systems (Sabapathy, 1994).
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 Furthermore, from analysis on this work, also find that the symbolism shape
of triangular which is divided into seven layers of horizontal bands and which
reaches upwards from the ground towards the sky was brought the meaning as
seven level of sky (tujuh petala langit) that was a essence in Islam religion. The
triangle also consists of seven layers that corresponding to the seven heavenly
realms in the Malay account of creation. An interestingly, the seventh realm is to
be the abode of the Orang Syurga, or those in a state of bliss of heaven. From
interpretation on this artwork also reveals, the symbolism shape of triangular
which is divided into layers of horizontal bands and which reaches upwards from
the ground toward the sky also bring up the meaning of relationship not only
among human but with universe and God.
Looking the colours that Datuk Syed Ahmad Jamal had applied in Gunung
Ledang as the color based on natural materials which is blue and green. The
reason of using this color is because it shows the face of universe. The green
color is describes the meaning of base part that represent an earth and the top
part which is blue color was the sky. The green and blue color that dominated in
this art work was the right choice to showing the element of an earthly and
paradise. Besides that, blues and greens dominate the colour spectrum;
pigments have been brushed and laid, methodically and evenly; gestural and
kinetic inflections have been suppressed in order to avoid sensuous indulgence
and optical distraction. Base on interpretation that have been done also find
that the blue color was ironic to the element of truth and harmony. While the
green color was symbolize the meaning of spacious and also have positive
element. Whenever, the red colour was represent the elements blood of victim
that died in air crash tragedy.
From interpretation also find that the red color was symbols of the relation
that Datuk Syed Ahmad Jamal with his close friend, Datuk Ali Haji Ahmad who
died in air crash. Through this colour also symbolize the sad emotion and tears
to the people in that accident. The yellow colour in this painting was symbol to
the understanding and high sight. The chosen of this color was very suitable with
the symbolize meaning of nine small triangular shapesthat compose in the top
of this art work. In aspect of yellow gold colour that Datuk Syed Ahmad Jamal
applied in this art work was to symbolize to the elements of dignity, pride and
peacefulness. Looking to the white colour that paint in the middle of this
artwork was symbolize the air crash splinter and the die spirit. Hear, Datuk Syed
Ahmad Jamal giving the significance of all the die spirit had go to the sky which is
compose upon of the large triangle and in the same time symbolize that spirits
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was to be placed at heaven. Furthermore, from analysis in this artwork also
reveals that Datuk Syed Ahmad Jamal also used the black colour and applied it in
several layers of horizontal bands in rows to become a large triangle. The
meaning of this colour was represent the negative element which is symbolize
the vanished and the lost thing in someone life.