Since Valentine’s Day is this month, it’s a perfect time to write about one of the most famous love stories of all time. It’s a story that could raise some eyebrows except that this tale’s main character doesn’t have them.
And that’s not the Mona Lisa’s only mystery. The painting has many unanswered questions that have kept researchers investigating the bewildering woman for centuries.
The issue of who painted the Mona Lisa had long been in contention until 2005, when historians concurred that Leonardo Da Vinci was the artist, based upon a notation in one of the many books and artifacts housed at Windsor Castle. It stated that the wealthy husband of Lisa del Giocondo had commissioned Da Vinci to paint his wife’s portrait in celebration of their second child’s birth.
Painted on a poplar plank measuring a little more than 2 square feet, the Mona Lisa lived with several monarchs, including King Francis I, King Louis XIV and Napoleon Bonaparte. Eventually, the painting made its way to the Louvre.
It became an overnight sensation when an Italian handyman smuggled the painting out of the museum. People mourned its loss and cheered its return two years later.
More recently, the world-renowned painting had a $6.3 million renovation; it’s insured for $100 million, remains behind bulletproof glass and can never be sold, according to French heritage law.
The painting is still a topic of conversation among the art world’s aficionados, in particular Mona Lisa’s eyes, which convey an uncanny presence. Since women were not depicted to look so directly, it raises the question: What is she thinking?
Another uncertainty is whether the painting is truly finished since Da Vinci’s right hand became partially paralyzed in 1517 before he could complete the Mona Lisa, thus possibly explaining why she doesn’t have eyebrows.
My question is whether or not the Mona Lisa has ever received a Valentine, since people left countless notes, flowers and other mementos when the painting went missing more than 100 years ago. Because of the advanced security measures around the Mona Lisa, doing anything like that today is probably prohibited.
But one thing remains the same when it comes to Valentine’s Day. It’s a holiday where people let others know of their feelings with cards, flowers and special occasions. And this “love” holiday dates back to 1380, when Geoffrey Chaucer wrote 699 lines of romantic poetry to celebrate the union of King Richard II of England and Anne of Bohemia.
Just like the adoration people have for the Mona Lisa, Feb. 14 has also literally captured our hearts. Happy Valentine’s Day.
Writer, editor and speaker Cheryl Russell is a Laguna Woods Village resident. Contact her at Cheryl@starheart.com.
