Public Talk - Exploring the Artistic and Scientific Aspects of Mona Lisa
Art is an important element of human creativity, expression and intellect, and is an integrating part of all civilisations. Art is multifaceted indeed, and is able to generate emotions, create a narrative, and embellish the surroundings we live in. However, by looking just on its surface its true essence cannot be fully appreciated. In fact, when art is explored beneath its surface a whole lot of new aspects emerge that go beyond the artistic domain, as the scientific aspects become clearer. For instance, painting and drawing require anatomy and optics knowledge. These aspects are without a doubt scientific. Thus, art and science are indeed interrelated subjects, and this interrelation is elegantly expressed in the painting of Mona Lisa.
The painting of Mona Lisa has fascinated many generations for centuries. The half-length Portrait by Leonardo da Vinci has been described as the most known, visited and talked about painting. Her enigmatic smile, her captivating gaze and the atmospheric illusionism attract millions of visitors every years. In this event, we will analyse Mona Lisa and the painting technique that Leonardo employed to paint the Portrait, and peer into the different layers of thin paint that the Master applied in order to attain an astonishing effect. Also, we will explore the “multifaceted” aspects of Mona Lisa, by looking at the surface of the Portrait and beneath it, both from an artistic point of view and from a scientific point of view. We will gain insights into Leonardo’s mastery to blend art and science, in order to create a “multi-dimensional” Portrait that is full of meaning and capable of generating feelings and emotions.
The event involved a talk by Dr Luigi Vorluni, as well as participants’ interaction and group work.