Diotima: The Marist Undergraduate Philosophy Journal
Art history is the study of objects of art considered within their time period. Art historians analyze visual arts' meaning at the time they were created. 10 The very basis of art history is to interpret. Much of the world's greatest works were created so far back in history we have no actual account of their meanings, only what we carefully investigate and come to understand. Art historians utilize their critical thinking and detail-oriented minds to approach a piece and expertly reach some comprehension of the work's potential contexts, but without first-hand input from the artist, there is no option for confirmation 11 . As such, the seventh condition of the Transmission Theory wholly invalidates an entire field of study and goes further to suggest that the beloved works of our most well-known artists in history were fraudulent. One of the most iconic and well-known paintings for generations has been Leonardo Da Vinci's Mona Lisa . The painting is considered one of the most acknowledged and recognizable works of art internationally. The portrait is known for the widely speculated, enigmatic expression of Lisa del Giocondo. There are various versions of the painting that have circulated since its creation. One of the editions, the Isleworth Mona Lisa 12 , was discovered by a studio in Isleworth, West London. Fittingly, the painting was dubbed the name Isleworth after its place of discovery. The painting was completed in 1503, well before the time of any art historian, philosopher, or even Tolstoy, the theorist himself. Its original maker did not even name it, but rather a distributor who acquired it centuries later. While Da Vinci's work is widely praised, we lack any tenable connection to knowledge about him as an artist. With this, his painting lacks any indication of adherence to conditions 2, 6, or 7 of the Transmission Theory. The Mona Lisa , regarded as one of 10 What Is Art History?” IESA International, December 20, 2017. https://www.iesa.edu/paris/news- events/arthistory#:~:text=Art%20history%20is%20the%20study,the%20time%20they%20were%20cr eated. 11 “What Is Art History?” 12 Jonathan Jones, “The Isleworth Mona Lisa: Have Leonardo Da Vinci Fans Worshipped the Wrong Portrait for Centuries ?” The Guardian , November 29, 2023. https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2023/nov/29/the-isleworth-mona-lisa-have-leonardo-da- vinci-fans-worshipped-the-wrong-portrait-for-centuries.
Volume VII (2024) 37
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