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| The "Mona Lisa" by Leonardo da Vinci (Source) |
The “Mona Lisa” by Leonardo da Vinci is known by art lovers and avoiders alike. The painting resides in the Louvre Museum in Paris, which is one of the most visited museums in the world as evidenced by its 9.6 million visitors in 2019. Contrary to what you may believe, the Mona Lisa does not loom in popular culture because of her beauty and cheeky smile. Rather, her notoriety is concertedly preserved by the people and institution which house her.
When the “Mona Lisa” was acquired by the Louvre in 1804 and subsequently hung, the painting “wasn’t even the most famous painting in its gallery, let alone in the Louvre.” But on August 21, 1911 the painting was stolen and swiftly hurled into the international art scene by sensational media coverage. The painting was regained 28 months later when one of the thieves attempted to sell it to an art dealer in Florence. The “Mona Lisa” was hence returned to the Louvre a new woman.
The international media sparked an interest that has led millions of people in the century since to traverse the Louvre and whirl past statues and paintings to reach the “Mona Lisa,” only to be disappointed by its size, quality, or the swarm of people surrounding it. This is because the “Mona Lisa” has been deemed a masterpiece, and thus people must be able to recognize its splendor on sight, right? The problem is that the idea of subjectivity in art and pronouncing certain artworks as masterpieces are two ideas that cannot coexist. To truly allow all people to enjoy art, the hierarchy and status of certain mediums and painters must be dismantled. The expectation that one can recognize and feel a great work of art on sight is upheld by an upper class who have access to knowledge about art history but establish their elite and special status as art connoisseurs by spreading the idea that a great work of art is simply “known.”
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| A crowd in front of the "Mona Lisa." (Source) |
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| Advertisement on the Louvre website. (Source) |
The act of seeing the “Mona Lisa” is also hardly about the artwork; it plays into a social game, as established by Pierre Bourdieu, that relies on continuous interest and participation by visitors to ensure its continued status as a must-see masterpiece. Many people grow up hearing and learning about the “Mona Lisa,” creating an investment in it that may urge them to travel and see the painting for themselves. By visiting the painting and spreading positive or negative reviews, this very act ensures the continuation of the game by either encouraging others to experience its enchanting brushstrokes and chaotic crowd or become an art topic to complain about.
The Mona Lisa is not inherently a masterpiece – no artwork is. That is simply the value invested in by an elitist culture that seeks to prevent others from fully enjoying art. If art is indeed subjective, then one should enjoy it on their terms, not the ones decided for them. Whether you are interested in art or not, I, a resident art lover, encourage you to re-examine why certain works of art and their makers are given a certain status over others. Come to your own conclusions about the art you enjoy and the art you would prefer to avoid.
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