
The Mona Lisa is a painting done by Leonardo da Vinci of a woman believed to be Lisa del Giocondo, although her exact identity is not known (Scaillierez). The painting is famous for its mysterious nature, her smile is often described as enigmatic and subtle. There are many different theories regarding the identity of the woman, and some believe that the painting is actually a self-portrait of Leonardo dressed as a woman (Kuiper). The background of the painting depicts mountains and a river with a winding road and a bridge. While some people believe that the Mona Lisa is simply a portrait of a woman, I believe that the Mona Lisa is da Vinci’s visual representation of happiness. The Italian name for the painting is La Gioconda, which is translated to “happiness” in English.  Leonardo da Vinci’s use of color, gaze, and the overall elements of the piece’s composition, including sfumato, spatial frequency, and realistic coloring, show a connection between the Mona Lisa’s humanity and nature which give the viewer a sense of happiness. 

Leonardo da Vinci’s use of colors makes Mona Lisa look brighter and more welcoming towards the viewer. All colors used are soft which give the painting a calming, serene feel. Da Vinci paid a lot of attention to how light falls on curved surfaces and translated this to his painting. The woman’s face glows with life and contrasts against the dark landscape in the background, forcing your attention straight into her eyes. Da Vinci uses blue shading to show distance behind her, demonstrating an Italian brushing technique called sfumato. Sfumato is a brushing technique which blends light and shade together in a realistic manner (Kuiper). There is harmony between the woman and nature due to the analogous colors used in her clothes and the mountains in the background. These various painting techniques sculpt the Mona Lisa in a way that leaves the viewer with a sense of peace and happiness.

The Mona Lisa is so influential that poetry and music have been written about her elegant facial features. Some people experience a sense of scopophilia when staring at her face. The woman has a clear, extra-diegetic gaze that is said to stare straight into your eyes from whatever angle you view it. Bob Hirshon, a researcher from the website Science Update, explains that due to spatial frequency, the woman has a more cheerful smile when you’re staring into her eyes compared to staring directly at her mouth. These combine to make her look realistic and much more human than a normal portrait. The realistic nature of her face is a big reason why people will travel across the world just to feast their eyes on the rectangular masterpiece. However, it is not just this face that attracts the crowd.

Every factor that Da Vinci carefully devised together really is what sells this portrait. The composition of the painting contributes to the idea that the Mona Lisa is a visual representation of happiness. The Sfumato technique creates unity between the woman and the background. The curls and twists in the woman’s hair harmonizes with the winding road behind her. The painting is balanced with the horizon level with the woman’s eyes, linking her with the landscape, and putting focus on her face (Scaillierez).  Da Vinci paid special attention to proportion and scale using shading to show the distance between the woman and the sprawling landscape behind her. There is a contrast between the sophisticated clothing of the woman and the wild landscape in the background, but similar color and tone allow the two to blend in another example of harmony.  The composition of the Mona Lisa perfectly portrays the intricate yet simple elegance of the classic relationship between man and nature.

In conclusion, the Mona Lisa radiates happiness. Da Vinci was clearly ahead of his time when painting this portrait. According to Leonardodavinci.net, the painting was among the first portraits to depict the sitter before an imaginary landscape and Leonardo was one of the first painters to use aerial perspective. There are numerous techniques used that give the woman a lifelike look, including sfumato, spatial frequency, and realistic coloring. The overall design of the painting shows harmony between the woman and the environment which evokes an emotional response in the viewer. The warm colors of the portrait match the woman’s warm smile which combines with her extra-diegetic gaze to welcome the viewer into her serene dreamscape. The Mona Lisa has been wooing her audience for over 500 years, and will continue doing so until the end of time.
