Mona Lisa, by Leonardo da Vinci, is one of the most renowned pieces of Renaissance art history.  Leonardo uses many artistic techniques in this piece.  For example the vanishing point used to create a sense of depth in a piece is directly behind the woman’s head.  Another technique Leonardo incorporates is called glaze.  Located just beneath her eyes, a thin film of transparent color is applied over previously dried paint, this extra layer creates a luminosity.  

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He also uses this layer over her cheeks skin causing the light glow that radiates off her face.  Also used in many instances, including Mona Lisa’s hands, eyes, and hair line, is a technique known in Italian as sfumato.  Sfumato means vanished or evaporated and when pertaining to art it means the darkness blends into lightness with such sensitivity its hardly noticeable when the transition is complete.  Another example of Leonard da Vinci’s use of sfumato is seen just on the outer edge of the woman’s eyes.  This creates the sense of a mysterious mood because we are unable to tell her true emotions hidden behind the faint smile and masked eyes.  One interesting fact about the painting is the extreme closeness to Leonardo’s own face proportions with those of Mona Lisa’s, this suggests that the painting was either of a male model or of a self portrait that was painted over.  Another view is that the painting still is a self portrait as there is still much debate over whether or not Leonardo was a homosexual.  None the less, this piece will forever be hailed as one of the Renaissance most amazing and mysterious works.

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