A very mini version on Art Friday

As you can see, there is no Art Friday today. With readership very low at present (I think everyone is busy) and with a combination of my sewing (almost finished my second skirt) and reading a book this week (The Book Thief) I haven't had time to do this weeks segment. And it will hardly be noticed anyway.

Just hand sewing the finishing touches
But for those few who do pass by, I won't leave you without a painting.  Here is one so famous I doubt I will need to tell the name of the painting or the artist.


Here are 10 interesting facts about the Mona Lisa:

1. It was stollen in 1911 in broad daylight and found two years later. And in 1956 it was damaged and it took several years to restore.

2. The painting is considered priceless and can not be insured.

3. It cost around $7 million to build the room and that houses the Mona Lisa - she is the only painting in the room.  It is in a climate controlled room encased in bullet proof glass. Almost everyone of the 6 million visitors to the Louvre each year, visit the Mona Lisa.

4. People are often disappointed when they see "The Lady" as it's quite a small painting (30 inches x 20 inches) and not what they expected.

5. There are three paintings of the Mona Lisa underneath the final painting. One painting has the Mona Lisa clutching the arm of the chair instead of in front of her. 

6. The Mona Lisa does not have any eye brows or eye lashes, it is not sure why this is the case, it is not certain if Da Vinci never finished the painting or they were never meant to be there.

7. Da Vinci started the painting in 1503 and completed it in 1506. It was painted on polar wood.

8.  Even though painted in Italy, it has been in France since the 16th Century.

9. During the Second World War art from the Louvre was packed up and sent away (by train) to protect it.

10. Da Vinci never sold the Mona Lisa.


Comments

  1. I liked all this trivia. I didn't know most of it. Thanks for sharing and your sewing looks great.

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  2. I check every day to see what you have to share! Don't always comment though, sorry! Are we not seeing pics of the completed articles - that is either of the skirts?
    love
    Bets

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    1. As soon as I finish this second skirt😊 .

      Need to buy some more lining to make the third skirt😊

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    2. Oops, those question marks were meant to be happy faces, not sure why they didn't work!!!

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  3. I'd heard a few of these things before. I didn't realize she didn't have eyebrows or eyelashes. I wonder why. Sounds like the plot for some mystery book. LOL I wonder what Da Vinci would think about all the value placed on that one painting and the high priced display room. Maybe, like some of Bach's music, he would tell us that it was just a practice piece. ;-)

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    1. I do wonder what these artists would think, Da Vinci was a perfectionist so probably would say it wasn't really finished enough to be worthy of such praise.

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  4. Interesting trivia - I didn't know most of that info, either.
    And yes, your Art Friday is noticed!! ;)
    Really looking forward to seeing your finished skirts! :)

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    1. I should have the second one finished this week, just a little more hand sewing to do.

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