Chapter 3: Mona Lisa (Added for the Operation Officer + Silver Meng @ Blue Tears Against the Wind)_2

"Hmm, not bad memory," Meng Xin Zhi praised as she lightly patted Zong Yi's head in affirmation.

"So, Sister, didn't you also tell me that 'Mona Lisa' has the world record for the number of times it's been viewed, imitated, mentioned in song lyrics, and reported on?"

"Yes," Meng Xin Zhi nodded, encouraging Zong Yi to continue talking.

"You see, Sister? If this painting didn't contain a special code, how could it possibly achieve so many world records? It must be truly extraordinary," Zong Yi asserted confidently.

Meng Xin Zhi flicked Zong Yi's forehead lightly: "That's because the painting hangs in the Louvre Museum, which receives the most visitors each year, and naturally, the viewing figures for this painting go up as well."

"But Sister, the Louvre Museum has so many works of art, why is the tiny 'Mona Lisa' the greatest treasure of them all? It must be unique," Zong Yi emphasized her point again.

Not wanting her sister to be misled by a movie, Meng Xin Zhi began to explain more formally:

"That's because when Da Vinci was painting it, he developed a special art technique."

"You've also seen 'Mona Lisa' many times in pictures, right?"

"Doesn't the whole image give you a feeling of haziness yet appear very realistic?"

"Paintings handed down before the prime of the Renaissance..."

"...had very clear boundaries for the figures, making them appear abrupt and stark."

The clearer the lines, the less real they seem."

"'Mona Lisa' blurs these boundaries of the figure, enhancing the realistic feel."

"In the peak of the Renaissance era, before cameras existed, paintings were revered for their realism."

"Before this, Da Vinci's fellow artist Botticelli would hide the edges of figures by painting long hair."

"This was an attempt at realism, but the change wasn't significant enough."

"Only a small part of the edge lines was hidden; the facial features were still very clear."

"Da Vinci created the sfumato effect by using the play of light and shadow to hide the edge lines within the contour of the face."

Not only does 'Mona Lisa' incorporate the figure's outline into the painting itself,

but it also achieves this effect with the edges of the facial features."

If you look closely, you'll notice that 'Mona Lisa' has no eyebrows or eyelashes."

"All of this was to achieve the best effect of sfumato."

"Da Vinci resolved the most significant problem of realism during the Renaissance period.

"And this breakthrough was embodied by the 'Mona Lisa'."

"Therefore, this painting became the crown jewel of the Louvre Museum."

"Do you understand now after I've explained it this way?"

Meng Xin Zhi provided as complete an explanation as she could in language that Zong Yi could understand.

As she spoke, she even gestured with the image of 'Mona Lisa' on her phone.

"I understand, I do, but Sister," the last five words sounded like Zong Yi's second catchphrase, "throughout the long river of history, many others have created special painting techniques, yet sfumato is not necessarily more meaningful than other methods, right? Why didn't other paintings achieve as many historical records? There must still be a secret code within 'Mona Lisa'."

Even with her expertise in museum studies, Meng Xin Zhi was left without an answer to Zong Yi's incessant questions.

Far from giving up, the little girl had her own logic:

"Sister, think about it."

"To say that 'Mona Lisa' is the Louvre's most treasured piece, I'm even understating it, right?"

"This painting must be the most expensive work of art in human history, without equal, right?"

"When I was really young, didn't we watch the Guinness World Records together?"

"Didn't we see that back in 1962, 'Mona Lisa' was insured for a hundred million dollars?"

"That was a Guinness World Record!"

"That was in 1962, Sister."

"Nowadays, it would cost billions of dollars, wouldn't it?"

"If this painting isn't like what they said in the movie, if it doesn't have a code, how could it be so expensive?"

While discussing the art, Zong Yi shifted her focus to the painting's insurance premium and value.