Decoding Da Vinci, Mona Lisa, PBS NOVA

[appalachiablue]

Decoding da Vinci:

Leonardo da Vinci was the quintessential Renaissance man, accomplished in engineering, fine art, and biology, among other disciplines. Today, his centuries-old “inventions” seem to predict our modern age: contraptions similar to parachutes, army tanks, hang gliders, and robots fill his notebooks. But the man and the techniques behind masterpieces like “Mona Lisa” remain a mystery.

On the 500th anniversary of da Vinci’s death, NOVA goes to Italy to explore his life and work. Then, in the basement of the Louvre, scientists and art restoration experts deploy cutting-edge technology to (digitally) peel back the layers of da Vinci’s works. Ultimately, they’ll reveal the impact of his science on his art and his art on his science.

*WATCH* 53 mins. https://www.pbs.org/video/decoding-da-vinci-93ssvo/





Self Portrait by Leonardo.



http://www.leonardoda-vinci.org/the-complete-works.html?pageno=7

[lunatica]

1. I watched this show

It was excellent and fascinating. The fact they can penetrate through layers with the laser x-ray without having to touch the paintings is really cool. There are paintings you just don’t want to mess with!

[appalachiablue]

2. The conservators who work on these masterpieces have great

skill to restore and repair. Very good episode and good information. I would love to see the big exhibit now at the Louvre.

Restoration on 'Bacchus' (St. John the Baptist in the Wilderness)

[lunatica]

3. Who knew Da Vinci loved painting flowers?!

The entire lower right quadrant of that painting was flowers. It’s too deteriorated to restore.

Although some people think he didn’t paint that because he didn’t use his soft blending style between light and shadow on the skin tones.

[appalachiablue]

4. The Mona Lisa is from c. 1503 and look how different the styles

are between it and the earlier portrait of Ginevra de' Benci 1474-78, NGA Coll. -- no 'sfumato' at all.

The St. John resembles his others in the expression of the face and the body but not so much in technique I agree.

[lunatica]

5. She looks like Mona Lisa's deceased sister.

This painting is technically good, but it’s just there. Nothing to compel anyone to wonder in it.
The difference between good technique and a masterpiece is that “divine spark” which everyone recognizes but no one knows where it comes from. Not even the artist.

[appalachiablue]

6. Yes 'creative spark' is a real distinction. The Ginevra almost looks

like a statue, bust. Da Vinci definitely was driven to expand and his curiosity was immense.

In the Loire Valley in France I briefly saw his crypt in the Amboise Chateau and the nearby smaller home that da Vinci lived in his last 3 years while working for King Francis I. A beautiful area I'd love to see again but it's unlikely.

[lunatica]

7. Well you saw it so that's very nice indeed.

I know I never will now. But in actuality it isn’t so bad now that there’s the internet. We have more access to the world than we ever even dreamed of having when I was younger. I don’t mind that at all.

I’ve always loved Da Vinci’s drawings much more than his other art. That’s not to say I don’t like all his work. Bit his drawings really inspire me.

[appalachiablue]

8. His dwgs are excellent. Here's a brief video with Rick Steves of the

French home da Vinci lived in, 9 mins. It's well done & much more than I saw on a rushed group day tour from Paris.

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[lunatica]

9. What an incredible and lovely town!

I love that they keep the center zone pedestrian only. They didn’t show his studio though. Maybe it was in that huge bedroom.

[appalachiablue]

10. Here's the Clos Luce website noting the workshop/study rooms

were closed for restoration for years. Maybe why they weren't in the video.

The Da Vinci garden and grounds are also beautiful.

http://www.vinci-closluce.com/en/place-presentation

[lunatica]

11. Thank you so much!

This was a very good conversation! I love his studio space.