The Isleworth Mona Lisa, Leonardo Da Vinci’s Original Version
The white whale of the art world
My unhealthy obsession with the Mona Lisa started immediately after I got immersed in the world of art. By September of 2018, I had been to Paris a few times and although I was a child, I vaguely remembered seeing a blurry Mona Lisa in the corner of my eye at the Louvre Museum. Regardless of where I stood, she still managed to look at me. Her smile drew me in like the patient alligator snapping turtle using its worm-like tongue to lure in its prey. I was baited. She devoured me immediately, just as the turtle does when the fish swims for the last time into its jaw. This marks the beginning of my toxic relationship with Lisa Gherardini. I had fallen victim like many others before me. King Francis I and Napoleon Bonaparte to name a few.
The Mona Lisa undoubtedly has a strong presence. It is safe to say after her recovery in 1913 (stolen in 1911), she managed to become a cultural icon who is now recognized everywhere. She is the most famous painting in the history of art. And whether you like it or not, she is here to stay.
∘ The Castles Crown Jewel
∘ The Real Mona Lisa
∘ References
