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An Unintended Star

Do you recognize this incredible piece of art, even with the metallic hair? Daughter No. 2 got a great paint-by-number set for Christmas with ten painting outlines and little pots of paint. She has completed several according to directions, but when it came to the Mona Lisa, she abandoned the guide and made it her own. If you hold the painting at a certain angle and in a certain light, the hair really does shimmer. She's a beauty, I think.

While No. 2 was working on this project, news came out the University of Heidelberg in Germany has named the true model for the famous painting. After all these years of speculation, it has been confirmed the model was Lisa del Giocondo, wife of a textile merchant who commissioned the painting. They had just bought a house and had a baby, so it was a special occasion. In 1503, a Florentine city official scribbled some notes in the margin of a book about how da Vinci was working on a portrait of Lisa del Giocondo, and even though these notes were discovered a few years ago, they weren't made public until just this month. So now we no.

Something I didn't know, the painting of the Mona Lisa is also known as "La Gioconda," which means "the happy and joyful woman." Interesting that the woman in this painting has rarely been described as joyful.

We now have our own unique Mona Lisa to display in our house. Here are a few other variations:

Computer-Parts "La Gioconda"

Cow "La Gioconda"

Lego "La Gioconda"

Comments

Cheltenhamdailyphoto said…
lol i do indeed recognise it and a good version it is! Well done Daughter No. 2.
7:51 AM
peahen said…
This must be the most 'mashed up' piece of art ever? There's a huge number of variations on Ms Lisa. I knew / know a wonderful lady whose name really is Mona Lisa - no-one believes her at first. She collected variations on the painting, and I'm sure she'd be chuffed to see your daughter's fantastic version.
8:49 AM
dive said…
That is so cool and funny and the best use of a painting-by-numbers kit I've ever seen, Robyn.
Hoorah for Daughter No.2!

I love the Lego version, too. Hee hee.
9:41 AM
Ms Mac said…
Love the Lego Lady!
10:25 AM
Mrs. G. said…
She is beautiful in all of these, particular the Lego version.
1:01 PM
Neponset River Bridge Dig said…
Nice color mix and she can now add her variation to all the others out there with pride.

It seems she has a bit of her moms creativity eh?
2:00 PM
Anonymous said…
I want a leggo mona lisa, its so cool.
7:27 AM
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