Mona Lisa

The speaker was most impressive and had already spoken for 35 minutes detailing the oil painting by Leonardo Da Vinci, painted between 1503 and 1519.He said that it was probably the world’s most-famous painting on a poplar wood panel. He explained that The poplar panel shows evidence of warping and was stabilized in 1951 with the addition of an oak frame and in 1970 with four vertical braces. Dovetails also were added, to prevent the widening of a small crack visible near the centre of the upper edge of the painting. The sitter’s mysterious smile and her unproven identity have made the painting a source of ongoing investigation and fascination.

He went on to talk about the its exquisite synthesis of sitter and landscape , all the while staring at the back of the canvas

“The painting presents a woman in half-body portrait, which has as a backdrop a distant landscape. We admire the sensuous curves of the sitter’s hair and clothing, created through use of fine shading, These are echoed in the shapes of the valleys and rivers behind her. The sense of overall harmony achieved in the painting—especially apparent in the sitter’s faint smile—reflects Leonardo’s idea of the cosmic link connecting humanity and nature, making this painting an enduring record of Leonardo’s vision".

All the while the little girl had sat obedient and mystified but eventually could contain her frustration no longer

“Mummy” she whispered “why does he talk and talk and not just show us the  Moana Lisa painting?

Her mother briefly explained what all grown ups already knew and accepted. She explained how a very evil ruler banned the viewing of the actual painting many years ago because it’s beauty far exceeded that of his new bride and also because such simple absolute beauty could be a distraction and moral danger for simple folk

The little girl was perplexed and asked who the man was who was boring her to sleep

“But who is this man up there mummy.. Has he ever actually seen the painting?”

"This is one of our learned men" the mother explained … No he had never seen the painting but he had gone away to a special training college to qualify him for the onerous task of explaining to all about the Mona Lisa. 

“Only for wonderful persons like him, the mummy continued we would never know anything about the exquisite beauty and mystic quality of the painting

The little girl seemed distant for a moment and then asked absent mindedly

“Can I play with my Nintendo now?

“Yes: Later when we get in the car”