• Hey, guest user. Hope you're enjoying NeoGAF! Have you considered registering for an account? Come join us and add your take to the daily discourse.

Vox video: "How the Mona Lisa became so overrated"

Status
Not open for further replies.
YouTube is filled with videos that assess the artistic uniqueness of Leonardo da Vinci’s painting. But if you find the "Mona Lisa" underwhelming — or the critical analyses unconvincing — her fame can seem as enigmatic as her legendary smile (and phrases like "legendary smile" might make you roll your eyes).

There is a logical case for just how Mona became ... Mona. And the story involves one surprisingly influential critic and a theft.

https://youtu.be/d2wy7Fp2fqw

I remember reading about the theft but never knew about the art critic.
 

Keasar

Member
Oh thank god, I thought I was just boring for thinking it looked pretty alright at best but not "holy shit what a masterpiece!" compared to how much hype it gathers from the world.
 

El Topo

Member
It's weird how much the video focuses on Pater's influence and English media. That said, its mainstream popularity is indeed (for a large part) due to the robbery and the ensuing events.
 

Kater

Banned
While I can't watch the video right now I know that thefts and the huge stories about a theft of an already expensive piece of art from one of the greatest artists can increase the popularity of some pieces. We had a huge scandal here too in 2003, when a figure, the Saliera was stolen from one of the biggest museums in Vienna and only found again in 2006, buried in the woods near a small city. The whole scandal was actually why it's now one of the heart pieces of the same gallery, just because of it's history.

I think it's not really overrated tho, it makes her that much more interesting, considering the history she had.
 

UncleMeat

Member
14352458_10103773141067022_3189729205474318727_o.jpg
Popstar is hilarious.
 
Art without constant is almost always underwhelming. Unless it's the sistine chapel then it's magnificent and the context just adds more.
 

Lunar15

Member
The Louvre is hilarious because there's just hundreds and hundreds of crazy paintings and then everyone's huddled around this tablet sized painting of some woman. I get it, but it just looks funny.
 
The Louvre is hilarious because there's just hundreds and hundreds of crazy paintings and then everyone's huddled around this tablet sized painting of some woman. I get it, but it just looks funny.

If I remember correctly there are like 4 Leonardo paintings just outside the room of the Mona Lisa. And you can get really close to them. I'd say his Saint John the Baptist is the most interesting.
 

ryseing

Member
Looks like a Garbage Pail kid

I'm an American man, this is my native land
Where no one lies about paintings
But that's not the case in France
Where the naked ladies dance and they look like Dennis Franz
You're so mangy, Mona
Hair part wider than a country road
Unless you count cats, she died alone-a
The Mona Lisa sucks, la da da da da


Jesus, lmao. Where do you all find this shit.

From the movie Popstar. It's pretty good.
 

jstripes

Banned
I'm glad others feel this way about the Mona Lisa.

All the nonsense like "her smile" are just after-the-fact attempts at explaining its popularity.
 

ZealousD

Makes world leading predictions like "The sun will rise tomorrow"
Nobody gives a shit about actual paintings and real artistry anymore. These days, the art is in the caption.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top Bottom