With Leonardo da Vinci’s birthday on the 15th April, my painting of the month is probably his most well-known and arguably the most famous in the world. The Mona Lisa is described as “the best known, the most visited, the most sung about and the most parodied artwork in the world”. Everyone knows the enigmatic Mona Lisa, so to replicate this painting has been a huge challenge. The painting has been so lovingly cleaned and varnished over nearly 500 years that its composition is now very difficult to see, the paint having faded and her eyebrows removed! Leonardo was such a perfectionist that the Mona Lisa was always a work in progress. He never actually parted with or finished the portrait. Da
Firstly I hope you’re all keeping well during these challenging times. There’ve been numerous articles in the media relating to art in times of crisis, with many finding solace in art, and indeed unleashing their creative side! Also, many of the world’s leading museums and art galleries are offering virtual tours so you don’t have to miss out during lockdown, and can gallery hop from the comfort of your sofa! These include the Rijksmuseum and the Van Gogh Museum, both in Amsterdam, Le Musee du Louvre and Musee d’Orsay in Paris, The British Museum, The Natural History Museum, Tate Britain, The National Gallery, New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art and Vatican City’s The Musei Vaticani. Your
