Friday, June 22, 2012

FILM 2: DaVInci / Bruce



"Da Vinci: The Lost Treasure" is hosted by Fiona Bruce, a journalist who regularly appears on the BBC Network. Bruce was educated at Hertford College, Oxford where she studied French and Italian. Bruce gains credibility by simply being on BBC as a journalist but also because she speaks to those she interviews in Italian throughout the show. The questions and responses she forms prove her genuine interest and knowledge of the subject. Aside from speaking herself, Bruce provides many interviews with experts.

Bruce probably chose to use expert interviews for a few reasons. Personally, I think that having multiple experts confirms Fiona Bruce’s stories and makes her more credible. These interviews also supply more stories that maybe she was unaware of. Finally, I think the interviews add something extra and something more interesting than simply having one person tell the entire story.



I think the most effective interviews were those from Charles Nicholl. In my eyes, his interviews were the most interesting and made many good points. Also, the interviews from Luke Syson were very effective. When he talks about the techniques that DaVinci used, it helped me see the paintings in a new way. This was especially the case with the description of the Virgin of the Rocks painting.


My favorite painting by DaVinci is the Mona Lisa because there seems to be so much mystery surrounding it. It was made using oil paints on poplar. The painting was commissioned by a wealthy silk merchant named Francesco del Giocondo. The painting is of his wife, Lisa. It was painted sometime between 1503 and 1506. This painting is obviously extremely famous and recognizable all over the world.

Personally,  I see her eyes right off the bat. Her gaze makes you wonder what she is looking at or thinking about. Secondly, I see her smile. It makes the viewer think about why she is smiling or if it was simply a pose. Finally, I notice the little details like the veil she is wearing and the background scenery.



Question: There are a lot of conspiracies about Da Vinci and his paintings. Do you think any of it is true or were the paintings simply paintings?



1 comment:

  1. After watching the movie Da Vinci Code and reading about his conspiracies I do believe there might be some truth to some of the theories. I believe that all of the stories are not false. Rumors stem from a source.

    I like The Mona Lisa also. The Mona Lisa is a very mysterious painting. He took the time to paint his wife. This is a panting that is known worldwide. I would like to know the truth behind the conspiracies.

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