Хелп гайс LEONARDO DA VINCI
Everything you should know about Leonardo da Vinci and the Mona Lisa
It’s the most famous work of art on the planet. The Mona Lisa is also known
as La Gioconda.
Leonardo da Vinci painted it between 1503 and 1506. We know that the
painting was special to Leonardo because he spent so long working on it. In one of
his notebooks he wrote, “Tell me, tell me, has one ever finished anything?”
Leonardo di ser Piero da Vinci (his full name) was born in 1452, the son of a
lawyer in the Tuscan town of Vinci. He didn’t have a classical education but became
an apprentice in the studio of painter and sculptor Andrea Verrocchio. He spent 13
years there, learning and working with other important painters such as Sandro
Botticelli.
He was a vegetarian.
Apart from being an artist, Leonardo was an engineer, inventor and
philosopher. He also loved geology, anatomy and astronomy. As a scientist, he was
ahead of his time.
He died in France in 1519, aged 67.
We don’t have any final proof of the identity of the woman in the painting.
Most people agree that it is a portrait of Mona Lisa, who married Francesco di
Bartolomeo di Zanoli del Giocondo in 1495. The title La Gioconda comes from his
last name.
There have been theories that the portrait is of Leonardo’s vision of an ideal
woman or of an adolescent boy dressed as a woman or even a self-portrait.
It was painted on a thin backing of wood, which is now extremely fragile. This
is why it is preserved behind a glass case.
The painting was acquired by François I of France. He knew Leonardo when
the painter lived in France.
The painting remained in French royal collections from the beginning of the
16th century to the creation of the Central Arts Museum at the Louvre in 1793.
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The Mona Lisa was stolen from the Louvre on 21 August, 1911. An Italian
painter, Vincenzo Peruggia, stole it to return it to its country of origin. It was found
almost two years later.
Since then, the painting has left France on two occasions: in 1963 to the United
States and in 1974 to Japan. The painting was welcomed in both countries like a
visiting film star.
President John F Kennedy opened the Mona Lisa exhibition at the National
Gallery of Art in Washington, DC, saying, “This painting is the second lady that the
people of France have sent to the United States and, though she will not stay with us
as long as the Statue of Liberty, our appreciation is equally great.”
The Mona Lisa is housed at the Louvre in Paris.
2. What can you remember? Complete the summary.
The Mona Lisa was painted around (1)
years ago. The other name for the Mona Lisa is
(2), which is based on her husband’s
(3). It was painted sometime between
(4) and (5). The
French king (6) acquired the painting when
Leonardo da Vinci went to live in France at the end of his life, and it’s now on
display at the (7) art gallery in
(8). It’s kept behind a
(9) because it was painted on a thin layer of wood
and so is very fragile. The Mona Lisa has left the gallery only
(10) times: once when it was stolen by a painter
who wanted to return it to (11) and twice on
loan to other countries – the (12) and
(13).
Leonardo da Vinci’s full name was Leonardo di ser Piero da Vinci. He was
born in (1) in the town of
(2) in Tuscany and died at the age of
(3) in (4). He studied
painting and sculpture for 13 years under (5) but,
apart from being an artist, he was also an important
(6). He was also interested in
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(7), (8) and
(9). A curious fact about Leonardo da Vinci is that
he didn’t eat (10).
3. Here are descriptions of some of Leonardo's works of art. Match them up to
the titles given below.
1. The Apostles are presented in four groups of three each.
2. Christ Child manifests his Divinity as he blesses the infant St. John.
3. This painting depicts an event from 15-th century history.
4. The face has suffered in the course of time but nothing has spoiled the sad half
smile that plays about the lips.
5. It was never carried any further than the monochrome underpaint.
6. The Virgin sits on her mother's lap, as in traditional representations of this theme.
a. Mona Lisa
b. Adoration of the Magi
c. Madonna of the Rocks
d. Last Supper
e. Madonna and Saint Anna
f. Battle ofAnghiari
1. nearly 500 years ago
2.La Gioconda
3.
4.
5.