Walter Jankowski Assignment 1A Rhetorical Reflection Section HB- McGough September 9, 2013 The Mona Lisa The Mona

Lisa was painted around 1500-1510 during the Renaissance time period by Leonardo DaVinci. Today the painting is known around the world by many people, but few know why it is as popular as it is. That may be a result of it being famous for being famous. After being reprinted in college text books, the Mona Lisa has taken on a much different meaning today than when it was originally painted. During the Renaissance, the time period that the Mona Lisa was painted, having portraits was very uncommon. A portrait, such as the Mona Lisa, was a symbol of wealth that only few could afford. The Mona Lisa was most likely a painting of a wealthy merchants wife who was gazing at her husband. Today, there are countless pictures being taken all the time in just a split seconds time which changes how college students view the Mona Lisa in a text book. It is no longer seen as a work of art symbolizing wealth and success, but rather a famous painting known for its mysterious nature. The half-smile that the woman in the Mona Lisa has provoked a lot of different theories about what the woman was doing at the time or what she was thinking. This, along with the odd facial features, is why the Mona Lisa is so famous today. She has become very mysterious as a result of all the unknowns that she carries with her. Part of this came about because DaVinci kept this painting with him instead of giving it to the merchant who most likely paid to have it painted. The half-smile would have likely been understood at the time it was painted as the look on the womans face as she was looking at her husband and having to smile a little. This makes sense because at the time, people got their portraits done with a serious face which she was trying to maintain. The meaning of the Mona Lisa changes dramatically when the original intended audience is compared with college students reading a textbook today. At the time, it would have been seen as a symbol of wealth having a personal portrait while today we can print off multiple pictures at a time. This is how the original meaning of the Mona Lisa is lost when it is reproduced in a college textbook.

Work Cited Harriss, Joseph A. Seeking Mona Lisa. Convergences: Themes, Texts, and Images for Composition. Ed. Robert Atwan. Boston: Bedford/St.Martins, 2009. 146-57. "Leonardo's "Mona Lisa"" Mona Lisa. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Dec. 2013.