“The situation into which the product of mechanical reproduction can be brought may not touch the actual work of art, yet the quality of its presence is always depreciated.” (Walter Benjamin, “The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction,” Section II)
The Mona Lisa (Leonardo Da Vinci, circa 1503) (and its circulation in popular culture) is illustrative of Benjamin’s argument regarding the status of the artwork in the age of technical reproduction. I’ve posted an image of the original painting along with one of its more recent cultural manifestations.* Describe one way the meanings associated with the original painting effect the product being sold. Provide one example of how the ad’s use of digital technology changes the meaning of the original (for instance, in this ad, how do we interpret her famous smile?) Comparing this advertisement to the Mona Lisas made by modern artists of the Dada and Surrealist movements (Below: Marcel Duchamp, L.H.O.O.Q., 1919. S&C: 129; also Benjamin, Section XIV), what does the ad suggest about our society’s ideas and beliefs about beauty?
*The text at the bottom of the ad reads, “Pantene Time Renewal. Restores age-damaged hair.”
24 comments:
Film 114 Section 801
Val Danculovich
The Mona Lisa represents class, beauty, an historical figure and mystery. Use of this image suggests that someone using the product can achieve the same level of beauty and notoriety as Mona Lisa. The digital technology enhanced the color, gave her a modern curl and takes the mystery out of her smile, maybe suggesting that she is happier now that she’ s using Pantene. The smile on the original image has been a source of conjecture for centuries. Is it a smile? Is she just posing? Is there even any meaning in the facial expression? The reproduced image eliminates the mystery of the expression and projects a deliberate smile on the famous figure.
Using Benjamin’s thesis, mechanical reproduction of the Mona Lisa has removed the portrait from its cult value which, from some biographies I’ve read of da Vinci, was never intended for exhibition but rather for the artist’s own contemplation. Maybe the aura that emanates from Mona Lisa is one of remembrance of a loved one as Benjamin points out in his description of early photographs.
Mechanical reproduction of this work over the years has removed the aura of remembrance and the ritual value and replaced it with a new, artistic function—“l’art pour l’art”. More recent mechanical reproduction of this work such as the Pantene ad goes further and even removes the artistic function of the painting, replacing it with a commercialized shadow intended for the masses. But, it’s the masses who spend money and who support the very institutions that maintain and protect the original work. So, maybe it’s okay that the aura of a piece (and society’s ideals of beauty) constantly changes according to the needs and desires of the masses.
The Mona Lisa is a portrait of average beauty and a mysterious. In the ad the hair is changed to modern waves to show a glamorous beauty. The mystery in her smile still remains, but now the viewer knows that using the hair product is the secret she’s keeping.
Another reason the Mona Lisa is used for the ad is that it is a very well known painting that is very old and the product is to help restore old and damaged hair, which is why the ad has a modern hair style. The use of digital technology changes the original work of mystery and secretive beauty to a sense of happiness and visibly noticeable beauty.
Both replicas of the Mona Lisa are used to sell something. In the L.H.O.O.Q. replica, they added a mustache and goatee to make fun of DaVinci’s supposed homosexuality using his most well known piece of work. In the modern ad, they use the Mona Lisa as an easily recognizable work to give a sense of old as well as using the mystery of her new luscious hair to be a secret. The modern ad suggests that today’s ideas and beliefs about beauty are wanted by all women, using the Mona Lisa as an example, and that women don’t want to tell what makes them beautiful, using the famous secret smile.
The Mona Lisa picture is seen almost as a certain standard of beauty, classical good looks, and pretty/ The picture is of a woman who most people might find attractive. In a way the new advertisement is using an old image and the semi new idea of sex, or attraction to sell a product. As we know, sex can sell anything. The ads use of digital technology and the fact that they acknowledge, and want the audience to understand that they're using digital technology, makes this add even better. The ad states that “Pantene” is time renewal, it restores age damaged hair. Obviously this painting was restored in one way or another. It plays on what we we see and what we already know about the Mona Lisa painting. Also, in the new ad it seems like she's smiling because she now has restored hair, in the older painting we don't know why she's smiling. The Dada picture is almost a complete opposite of what the ad and the older picture are. The ad/original shows us a perfection of beauty. A woman with a slight smile, sitting with her hands folded neatly. The Dada picture looks more like a man than a woman, and there isn't a smile.
Nathan Irish
This advertisement seems to be telling us that Pantene is a refined product by associating it with the Mona Lisa. That Pantene is a time-tested classic that deserves, and maybe even demands respect. Assuming that anybody who’s knows anything about shampoo knows that Pantene is the Mona Lisa of shampoos. Not too many people would say that the Mona Lisa is a mediocre painting, and because of this advertisement, no one should say the same about Pantene. However, by today’s questionable standards of beauty, the Mona Lisa is average looking. It’s an old look, that lacks flare and glamour. So lets jazz it up. Give her a more modern look, and to really drive the message home, tweak her smile a little bit. There, no more mystery about her smile. All she needed was a makeover. Way to drop the ball da Vinci!
It’s interesting to compare this with Duchamp’s L.H.O.O.Q. According to Walter Benjamin, “The Dadaists attached much less importance to the sales value of their work than to its usefulness for contemplative immersion”. Duchamp seems to have been challenging what makes a masterpiece a masterpiece by adding a moustache and a goatee. This simple addition of facial hair to the painting shows how easy a painting can become a disaster, but it also reinforces the Mona Lisa’s significance in the world of art. Even with the facial hair, it’s still the Mona Lisa. I find it odd that Duchamp defaced the Mona Lisa for the sake of art, but Pantene used the same technique to sell more shampoo.
Film 114 Section 801
Jared Plant
The "Mona Lisa" has transfixed art lovers for centuries and is one of the most popular and well known works of art of all time. The iconic smile and pastoral setting are instantly recognizable as the symbol of a time of history, displaying the both the skill of the Renaissance master and the depiction of 15th and 16th century life.
In the Pantene ad, the digital addition of lustrous hair and a more tan complexion in certain ways mock the "fashion sense" of Leonardo Da Vinci's subject. At the same time, the ad is attempting to appeal to older customers by using the idea of restoration, as you would restore a priceless artwork, rejuvenation and, simply by changing a few elements of a painting that has remained unchanged for centuries, create the feeling that even the Mona Lisa can look younger with Pantene.
Marcel Duchamp, a leader of the Dadaist and Surrealist movements in art, banks on the popularity and perceived "worthiness" of the Mona Lisa as a work of art to raise a basic question of the nature of art. Is art the fruit of creativity, regardless of the skill involved or the pedigree of the artist? Or is art a subjective label granted by critics and the art community in general? Is an advertisement art? Is the conscious attempt to make every person who looks at his "painting" question these things Duchamp's real art here?
While the ad reflects society's perception of beauty, youth and glamour, Duchamp's work actively protests these very things; the graces of art, the beauty of femininity, even the skill of Da Vinci.
The ability to produce mass quantities of Mona Lisas has given artists and corporate advertising alike to turn this great work of art into an icon of the ideas of the artist or corporation. It no longer needs to be viewed as art if it is found in a magazine, but is simply an image employed to catch your interest and get you to buy a product to keep your hair looking great. Or it may no longer be the painting that is of interest, but the perversion of art for art's sake. Though the original may be devalued by these uses in the sense of being high art, the variety of uses of this painting extend far beyond the reaches of the glory, grace, beauty and skill of Da Vinci's original Mona Lisa.
Film 114, Section 801
Li Wang
It can be argued that Mona Lisa is one of the most famous females in the history. The Pantene reproduce this painting as its advertisement of product because of the celebrity effect. Although she may not be the most beautiful lady among the countless characters of artistic works in the history, she always serves as a representative of attractive female in modern society. The charming and mystery revealed by the Mona Liza are the very characters Pantene shampoo searching for. Besides, it can be seen from the restored painting that Mona Liza’s curved and glossy long hair is especially fashionable compared to her old style clothes. Her smile seems to indicate that she is proud of her glamour hair which is due to using the shampoo. Thus, the advertisement implies that the charming and mystery revealed by Mona Liza’s new hair are standards of beauty in a modern society. In all, the advertisement successfully catches female consumers’ attentions in a clever way by electronically restoring the Mona Liza to a modern lady.
The Mona Liza made by modern artists of the Dada and Surrealist movements reproduce the painting in a different way compared to the Pantene. It is obviously that a mustache and goatee on such a famous female face looks absurd. However, the irrationality is the most valuable character in this restored painting. It evokes viewer’s thinking about beauty and maybe anything in the life and by doing so the painting as an artistic work realizes its own value.
Film114 Section 33068
The Mona Lisa is a artwork surrounded with much mystery regarding it’s true meaning, like whether or not it leads to hidden treasure, or just simply wondering what she is smiling about. There are many interpretations and varying speculations on this masterpiece, but it is because personal opinion and meaning that we call such pieces art in the first place. It is the myth that surrounds this piece that takes from painting to masterpiece and allows it stand the test of time into the 21st century where we still marvel at its perfection. It is no wonder then why someone would take this icon and manipulate to make it their “own.” It has been altered many times by different artists to conjure a whole new meaning while still keeping the original integrity. It is the way that these artists have altered the piece that make it special. Centuries ago one would have to go through the trouble of obtaining perhaps multiple copies of the piece, whereas today digital technology allows us to reproduce and alter nearly any image as fast as our fingers can type. It is no wonder that the Mona Lisa turns up in advertising and the like today because the image has so much base meaning already. To alter it in the way Pantene did shows us the cleverness of advertisers as well as the ever changing idea of beauty. Society always modifies its idea of beauty around popular culture and therefore what is famous and popular is often deemed beautiful.
The version of the Mona Lisa that was modernized for the Pantene ad shows that the use of this product will lead to timeless beauty. Looking at how the hairstyle has changed from the original seems to mean that according to modern standards of beauty the hair product shown is needed to make an ordinary person more vibrant and lively. It shows that use of the product can bring out modern beauty in the most age-damaged hair.
The use of digital enhancements can change the meaning of the picture completely. Instead of an ordinary girl simply posing for a picture, the enhancements have turned her ordinary looks into a girl with a tan and a modern hairstyle. The smile she is famous for also looks as if it is content and happy with a new modern look due to the Pantene product.
The image L.H.O.O.Q. represents an artist’s alternative perception of beauty. Rather than the original painting which has somewhat set standards throughout history for its beauty, this artist painted a picture of his take on beauty and how it is not nearly as popular as that of DaVinci. Walter Benjamin wrote about the use of psychoanalysis in art and how multiple people can analyze an image closely and interpret it differently. These modern artists have just analyzed what was already done and changed different features on it to project a whole new look on what is known for beauty, The Pantene ad was done to modernize the beauty of the Mona Lisa and the Duchamp image was done to detract from the beauty of the painting.
Andrew Page
Section 806
The Mona Lisa at least to me seems like a natural choice to sell shampoo. This image is one of, if not, the most famous painting of a women. It is so well known that the advertisers only have to show a tiny picture of their product to be effective. Someone paging threw a magazine would instantly recognize this image, after remembering everything they knew about this famous painting, that person would notice the digital alterations; her skin and most notably her hair. The viewer would realize this is an add for shampoo.
The advertisers are trying to say with the tagline “Pantene Time Renewal. Restores age-damaged hair.” that their product is so good it would make the old boring Mona Lisa look this hot.
The Pantene add is drastically different to the mustache and goatee Mona Lisa, but they work for the same reason. Both are relying on the image’s notoriety. Changing that image has shock value. One to sell shampoo to women who want to look new and improved, and the other is a social satire of celebrity. This image has always been famous, even back in the beginning of the modern art era and for what.
The addition of a tan skin tone on woman in the original Mona Lisa portrait creates a more youthful, vibrant appearance that supports the ads intent to depict a stylish, modern hairstyle. The goal of the advertisement and the portrait modifications suggest that even an older “classic “ beauty can have a youthful and healthy appearance with “XXX” product. The mystery, intellect and intrigue associated with the smile of the original Mona Lisa seems to be lost in the attempt of creating a younger look. The advertisement is, however, very clever in getting our attention. The company is not making a statement about society or the picture but trying to manipulate our response that might results in more sales and company profits. In contrast, Marcel Duchamp's version of Mona Lisa, with its goatee, mustache, dark coloration and obscenity, was a negative statement against society and art and was not done for great profit. He and the other artists associated with the Dada movement tried to degrade art into non-art rather than to try and enhance the original image
Film 114 Section 801
Samantha Furseth
The Mona Lisa portrait is a painting which represents a woman with a beautiful smile. The ad's use of digital technology changed the meaning of the originial ad. The ad for the pantene time renewal shows the Mona Lisa with shinier, smoother hair. There are more vibrant colors that stand out in the portrait. The meanings associated with the original painting effect how the product is being sold. If the original painting is looked at as a classic, beautiful piece of art than the digitally enhanced portrait must be better. The digitally changed Mona Lisa as well as the Dada Mona Lisa both have a message about beauty. The Dada Mona Lisa has the mustache and the goatee representing beauty can be anything.
The Meanings of why Da Vinci painted the Mona Lisa are simply unknown. For me to try and understand would only result in me siding with one of the millions of educated and uneducated theory’s that infect the web with their quests to find answers in life. Do I believe Mona Lisa Was pregnant, that it was painted in Da Vinci’s own liking, that he painted more than one or that her smile signifies Da Vinci’s erotic attraction to his mother (Sigmund Frued)? I simply don’t know. So who am I to say that Da Vinci didn’t paint the Mona Lisa to sell hair products in the 21st century? Know one really knows.
The ad really cancels out all other speculations of Mona Lisa’s smile. It turns her mysterious simper into a seductive sex symbol, and the reasoning is simple. Sex sells. Enhance a portrait to show how this product can enhance you. Better yourself by beautifying yourself. It’s been around since the dawn of man and nothing can stop it. It’s sad yes, and to quote the Faders famous release, She just wants to be loved”. Society breeds the idea that beauty leads to love when in fact I believe it’s just the opposite. As far as the Mona Lisa vs Mona Lisas, It’s really just the opposite of society. Dada takes away beauty and grace. He mocks it. He takes something people adore and shouts, “I don’t care”.
On the other hand, isn’t mass production and exploitation the epitome of capitalism? In our society nothing is sacred. With the Jyllands-Posten Muhammad cartoons controversy, music albums like “Baby Jesus Sliced Up In a Mangor” (Leftover Crack), and the 1980’s film Caligula, nothing is untouchable. Everything is subject to insult, and why shouldn’t it be. It’s America.
The Mona Lisa is timeless. With the use of technology, she can be recreated to what our society believes is beautiful which is a woman with long luxurious curls. When consumers view the ad, they know that the Mona Lisa is considered a great beauty and if they believe that she uses Pantene, then they will want to also because they want to be considered a Mona Lisa also. Her smile is the same smirk which is intriguing to men and woman and it makes them want to know her secret. Which could just be the secret to great hair. And the bottom picture is maybe suggesting that if the Mona Lisa is a beautiful woman, then maybe she can be made into a man that is desirable for all woman.
Kaitlyn Murray
Matt Dwyer
Film 114 Section 33068
The Mona Lisa remains to this day as a pinnacle of beauty, both in the fine art world and popular culture. Pantene, as a beauty product company uses universal examples of beauty as a way to improve their advertising. I believe that Da Vinci’s work affects the product by promising its power to reverse the damage caused by age and restore it into a modern beauty. With Photoshop, the damaged piece of canvas with centuries-old paint is transformed into a supermodel. The use of this technology changes Mona Lisa’s classic beauty into more of a manufactured pretty face for an advertisement. Her smile turns into a coy smirk while her eyes seem to give off a sultry inflection. In terms of the ad completed its objective, Pantene efficiently gives the message it’s powerful damage-repairing hair product.
However, as a work of art, the Mona Lisa loses almost a bit of its wonder when it is put through a machine to be “age-damage restored.” Because of this, the ad suggests that we only view youth as beauty, and we fail to respect the timeless quality of Da Vinci’s work. A simple reproduction of the Mona Lisa does not always have to tarnish the reputation for monetary gain. Marcel Duchamp’s recreation of the Mona Lisa with a nicely placed goatee was created for a different purpose than Pantene’s ad. Duchamp means to mock the idea of art to express his opinions, while Pantene means to use the Mona Lisa’s reputation to sell a bottle of hair spray. Overall, the Mona Lisa in all of its incarnations stands out as the epitome of ageless beauty in visual art but not in the standards of women.
One of the readings puts forth the idea that constant reproduction of iconic paintings takes away from the original. By constant reproduction I don’t mean that the painting is reproduced to put on display, but that it is reproduced in other ways; like in advertisement. This really does make the image more accessible, but accessibility is traded off for, in this case, mystery.
I think that the advertisement image used by Pantene is very interesting, because the product being sold is called, Pantene Time Renewal. Not only is Mona’s hair restored, but the entire image has been restored, as if it were new. Her hair and the entire painting is now “fuller”. Very little, or nothing at all looks faded, and the background can be clearly distinguished. One aspect of the reproduction that really draws my attention is the way the hands look. The rejuvenation shown in the image implies that the product is so good that it can even make an aged painting look new.
I think that it is very important that only the hair was changed in the advertisement. The reproduction still has the iconic “Mona Lisa Smile”. It can be implied that Mona is no longer smiling for an unknown reason, but that she is smiling because of the products result.
I interpret the modern rendition of the Mona Lisa in the following way, it is meant to reflect the way modern society has an obsession with wanting “the perfect body”, and having this perfect body makes the person beautiful. I interpret it in this way because the reading says that L. H. O. O. Q. can be read as, “She Has A Hot Ass” in French. In turn ignoring the fact that she has a goatee and mustache.
Antonio Vargas
Section 801
The Mona Lisa is a symbol everyone is familiar with. Her features are unique, and she’s come to represent natural beauty. The use of her image as an advertisement is like using a well regarded celebrity. There’s no question in the viewer’s mind that this person is supposed to be appealing and identified as beautiful. By using such an old image though, Pantene may be trying to get across that their product is classier and doesn’t lose its appeal over time. They may be saying they’re bringing back that natural beauty and making it glamorous.
By changing the appearance of her hair, she’s still recognized, but it’s understood that the hair product makes her beauty live on in today’s society with today’s fashions. Mona Lisa’s smile suggests she knows something and is hiding it, or is portraying a mischievous manner. The mystery of that smile is given a new meaning in reference to the hair product. Now her smile means that the thing she knows, and is now sharing with us, is that Pantene does wonders for her hair.
Mona Lisa has been a symbol of beauty, but in today’s standards its unclear if she would indeed be considered beautiful. Some might call her plain or old looking. The ideas about beauty in society have changed. Now the media feels they have to change Mona Lisa into a version of a current role model to make her beautiful.
The original Mona Lisa is the original representative of beauty in art. Using this to their advantage, the company that created this advertisement is hoping to utilize the beauty and instill it in their audience. I think the meaning of the original painting is partly lost however with this advertisement. As the first quote states, mechanical reproduction depreciates the value of the original; Because of this, I think the advertisement has lost some of its potential.
The use of digital technology changes the original meaning because the original was made in a time without any sort of digital technology. In that way, we have taken this amazing work of art and modernized, and Americanized it.
This ad suggests alot about our society today. The fact that the ad speaks about age damaged hair tells me that society does not really feel that older people cannot be beautiful.
Tyler Arthur
Film 114 section 801
Film 114 Section 33068
The original Mona Lisa showed what ideal beauty was at that time in history. When this painting was done, ideal beauty was straight hair and a mysterious look, which is a topic of discussion(s) today. Through the use of mechanical reproduction, the artist shows what our culture sees as being beautiful today. We see beauty as someone with curly hair and a (what appears to be) more defined smile. Pantene decided to use an iconic image that has been seen by millions of people and has been a source of what beauty is. By using her in the ad, the company is hoping to attract more consumers. They probably think that since people recognize Mona Lisa as being beautiful, they will want to use the same product(s) as her in order to stay as beautiful as she is. I think that Walter Benjamin was right when he said that the quality of the painting would be depreciated socially if it were mechanically reproduced. Also, the Dada movement has made fun of this iconic figure by putting a mustache on her
I don't understand why the Mona Lisa has to be so modernized to todays society. I've always been a fan of kicking it old school and keeping it original. I mean it all this digitally remastered garbage needs to go. I don't understand why they change her hair to make it more curly and waived. It totally ruins what the artist was trying to produce and it messes with our perception of what the picture is supposed to represent. It takes away from the meaning of the picture and i just plain don't like it
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