Art That Changed The World

In 1503, Leonardo DaVinci would go on to paint arguably one of the most famous paintings in the world. The Mona Lisa, which is also one of DaVinci’s favourite paintings, has had an indescribably huge impact, even on people who have never fully delved into the world of art. This is because the painting created new boundaries in the renaissance era, in relation to art. Not only was the composition different (depicting only half a person, rather than full length like other paintings, adding as much detail in the background as in the person etc) but DaVinci also introduced new techniques, such as sfumato, meaning he blurred edges to create a more realistic effect. He also used chiaroscuro, which meant he used light and dark tones to create contrast in the painting.
The Mona Lisa, for a lot of people, ushered in a new age of art.

In 1937, Pablo Picasso painted ‘Guernica’. Through the use of distorted imagery and grey scale tones, the painting depicts a world that has changed for the worst. It was painted in response to the Nazi’s casual attack on the Spanish town of Guernica, and shows the consequences which were inflicted upon the innocent citizens. The piece has become a monument of the tragedy of war, almost like an anti war symbol. It reflects innocence lost.