Visual Art: Mona Lisa
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The Mona Lisa was just another of the Louvre Museum's treasures. Until a former employee walked into the hall on 21 August 1911 and simply took it off the wall and walked out with it, when no one was looking. The press reported on the crime as if Mona Lisa was a real person who had been kidnapped. The world was outraged and everyone was looking for her.
Two years later, Vincenzo Peruggia, was caught while trying to sell the painting to an art dealer in Italy. He claimed that he was returning the Italian art treasure, (after it was "stolen" by the French in the 1500s), much like we see in the news about Chinese and Egyptian art being returned to the country of their origin.
The painting was returned to the Louvre in January 1914 amid great celebration! Everyone wanted to see her - 120 000 in the first few days after her return. Even today 8 million visitors to the museum view her behind her bulletproof glass every year. There is even a song about her famous smile!
Artists learn new skills by studying other artists' work. Mona Lisa is certainly one of the most copied and parodied works of art in the world! Look at the examples in the image above.
Lesson Preparation:
You are going to copy the subject of DaVinci's painting, but you will put her in a different setting (change the background), or you will change who she is (change her clothes or features).
NO GANGSTERS (scars, tatoos, weapons, drugs, etc.)
NO HIP-HOP or KASI CULTURE (baggies, caps, bling, etc.)
You may change the style of the painting to copy any artists' work you are inspired by.
Bring to class any materials you want to add to your line drawing (fabric, beads, buttons, cotton wool, coloured paper/cardboard, etc.).
Please note that you will be completing this work in class, so, if you are absent on these days you will need to bring a doctor's certificate.