Whether one ever gets the chance to visit the stupendous Louvre Museum in Paris, it is comforting to know that the museum offers the ability for would-be visitors to view the collection virtually. With more than 35,000 works of art displayed in an area exceeding 60,000 square meters and a constant flow of tourists, visiting the museum does not necessarily guarantee that one will have the chance to see every work of art in the collection.
While the website cannot possibly provide the same depth of experience as visiting a work in person, it does enable visitors to take their time in viewing a work, see the work without the interference of other patrons and browse the collection more complete. One of the more famous pieces of artwork hanging in the Louvre is the Italian Leonardo da Vinci’s Renaissance-era painting “Mona Lisa” probably created between 1503 and 1506.
The painting is essentially a portrait, believed to be that of a wife of a Florentine cloth merchant according to the Louvre. The woman in the scene is shown from approximately her waist up, the first time such a pose had been used in such close-up, in such a way that she dominates much of the available space. Behind her is a fantastic landscape seen as if in the distance, through a window. It remains unclear who Leonardo’s patron was for this work as it was one of only two that Leonardo kept with him until the day he died.
The soft environmental effects Leonardo used in painting the background have served as a superior example of his mastery of the art of sfumato, or atmospheric painting, which is a technique he developed during this period of tremendous artistic growth that continues to characterize the Renaissance period. The painting is strongly influenced by the techniques developed throughout this period in its focus on realistic modeling and the creation of an illusion of three-dimensional space.
The Mona Lisa was painted on poplar wood using traditional oil paints (“Mona Lisa”, 2006). Its size is quite small, measuring only 31 by 21 inches, reportedly making it difficult to be seen in person behind the crowds and protective measures. However, viewing the image of the painting online enables one to explore the painting more completely. Leonardo uses atmospheric perspective and proportion to establish the feeling of three-dimensionality and incredible depth in the painting. Although the woman takes up a majority of the frame, the landscape behind her depicts an entire countryside including agricultural fields and roads as well as wilderness areas and riverfronts.
The composition is based upon the pyramid of the woman’s body, giving the painting a great deal of stability, as well as the organic curvilinear forms of the feminine. As is pointed out by the Louvre, the composition of the background about the woman is constructed to illustrate Leonardo’s conception of woman. At the level of her heart, men are permitted to move about, but at the level of her head, thoughts remain untamed.
As a part of his superior modeling, Leonardo presents a rich and varied implied texture. The clothing draping the woman’s figure looks as if it could be touched, pulled out, and tested between the fingers. The gauzy weave of the dress presents a slightly ribbed or ruffed appearance while the scarf around her shoulders is gathered from a much wider strip of fabric. The heavier fabric of her overdress retains the suggestion of tapestry work around the neckline and the sleeves.
Subtle shading in the skin tones suggests a youthfully soft texture. This is contrasted with the somewhat undefined nature of the landscape behind her. Although it cannot be clearly defined, this background nevertheless makes clear distinctions between lands occupied by humans, with roadways and fields, and those areas that remain wild and untamed, darkly green and blue where the river flows. This impression of texture is brought about by a masterful combination of Leonardo’s use of light, color, and use of the medium.
The muted colors of the painting are in keeping with the traditional colors of the period but this does not create oppression. Lighting playing across the background scenery warms the area around the woman’s heart while light glancing off the pale skin of her exposed upper chest and lower face also function to keep the eye centered in the frame. There is an overall warm tone to the painting that suggests happiness and comfort while the tight brush strokes, nearly invisible on the surface, tend to eliminate any sense of separation between the viewer and the subject.
The Louvre is so full of amazing artworks such as this one that it is impossible to determine a favorite. However, if I could choose just one piece of art from within the museum, without having to consider price, space requirements, security, or any other factors, I believe I would request The Titeux Dancer.
This is a small statuette of a dancer. I would choose this piece because I admire the graceful flowing lines of the stone ‘fabric’ as it flows around a graceful female figure. The level of artistry is amazing and the lines continue to be interesting no matter how long I look at it. The website of the Louvre Museum is equally amazing, providing the opportunity for not just hours, but days of learning, exploring, and admiring the artworks of the world. The user interface is incredibly easy to understand and the site even provides several features in which the viewer can enjoy randomly selected artworks in continuous succession.