Mona Lisa by Leonardo da Vinci, 1503-1506

The Mona Lisa by Leonardo da Vinci is often thought to be the most famous and memorable painting. It was painted during the Renaissance. It now is in the Louvre Museum in Paris, France. Many people have made theories about Mona Lisa’s smile. Her smile is one of the reasons that she is so famous. When you look at her face she seems to be smiling, but when you look in the background, or beyond her face, she does not seem to be smiling.

The negative space in the portrait is the sky in the background. The positive space is Mona Lisa and the background. Mona Lisa’s skin is emphasized because her dress and hair are so much darker. The emphasis on her skin helps the whole painting flow since the eye moves all around the painting.