Topic > The Secret of the Mona Lisa by Leonardo Da Vinci

The transition movement that occurred between the 14th and 17th centuries in Italy is known as the Renaissance period or by definition "rebirth". The philosophy that took place in the period is that of humanism or attention to the human being. One of the masters of this period is Leonardo Da Vinci (1452-1519) and one of the paintings that best represents the philosophy and art of this period is the Mona Lisa. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay The philosophy of humanism brought to light an era in which the focus was on the human being. The earlier philosophy of the Middle Ages was more focused on biblical motivation, while humanism was not. Humanism represented the; "the emergence of the individual figure, in place of the stereotyped or symbolic figure, greater realism and the consequent attention to detail, as reflected in the development of linear perspective and the increase in realism of human faces and bodies" (Art of High Renaissance. (n.d.)) The Renaissance artist kept pace with the spirit of humanism by portraying lifelike human forms with lifelike clothing, expression, and correct proportions. A new three-dimensional shape was created with new techniques. The natural landscape began to appear as a background as a transition from the figures of the sky on a golden background. Realism and idealism are other concepts used in the Renaissance and one could say that Leonardo Da Vinci mastered them. Realism or representing the subjects as they were actually created through: shapes, colours, proportions, effects of light and shadow, spatial harmony and composition. Leonardo's background in science, drawing, sculpture, and architecture contributed to every part of his painting of the Mona Lisa (La Gioconda, (n.d.)). Idealism was the idea of ​​portraying subjects, as they should be. The Mona Lisa was a painting that Leonardo Da Vinci was working on between the years 1503-1506; some believe that the painting had never been finished upon his death in 1519. The Mona Lisa clearly represents the philosophy of humanism representing the core of human beings and realism. It also shows nature as shown in the background behind the figure in the painting. The main focus of the Mona Lisa actually falls on the person in the photo. In earlier medieval art the figures in the portrait were depicted in profile and were stiff. Mona Lisa is painted in a relaxed three-quarter pose and cropped in contrast to the norm of full-length portraits. While previous images had the figure in the painting adorned with jewels and decorations, the Mona Lisa is plain and jewel-free. The woman's hair is straight and has only a simple veil (which could be a symbol of chastity); her hands are relaxed and free from bracelets and rings. Only the folds of her robe or dress (Mona Lisa, painted 1503 to 1507, (n.d.)) are present as is the lace-trimmed dress she wears. The main focus of the Mona Lisa is on the front side of the painting. The technique of chiaroscuro, which uses light and shadow and ombre (blending one tone with another) or the illusion of angles which allows the imagination to see the area differently, was introduced and used by Da Vinci in his painting (La Gioconda painted from 1503 to 1507, (nd)). These techniques, achieved using oil paints, were used on the face and hands to make the person seem more real and almost as if they had movement. Even the smile that is so famous and adds mystery to his mood is achieved with these techniques. While some viewers see the woman smiling, others see her unsmiling. The commonly used pyramid design also helps the viewer to,.