2 True Stories Behind Renowned Works of Art

There is nothing like a story to captivate the mind and make the imagination run wild. From a person’s earliest age, he or she is told stories at bedtime. Then, when that person is old enough to attend school, he or she is given regular breaks for storytime. When that individual becomes an adult, he or she consumes stories via television and movies after work and on the weekends. Story is vital to our emotional and social welfare, and it is a common thread that links us to others in deep and meaningful ways.

Everyone has a story, yes, but so does every thing, including works of art. Without a doubt, behind every great work of art is at least one amazing story. With that in mind, do you wonder what it was that prompted the creation of your personal favorite piece of art? If the art piece you love most happens to be The Scream or The Mona Lisa, two pieces as different as different can be, you’re in luck! We’ve got the scoop on how the artists became inspired to create these stunning pieces.

The Story Behind Munch’s The Scream

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Edvard Munch’s harrowing piece of art entitled The Scream has been freaking people out while at the same time intriguing them for many years. Just one look at this painting will trigger many questions. “What was the artist thinking when he painted this?” “What does this mean?” “Why am I so drawn to this?” are just a few. A simple story taken from the article 10 Famous Paintings and Stories Behind Them removes some of the mystery from this mind-boggling work of art. Speaking of The Scream, the article states, “One fine evening, the artist (Munch) was walking through the city roads. For a second, he stopped walking and looked at the skies. All he saw was the setting sun and clouds, which appeared in blood red color. There was also a faint creaking sound from under the city. According to him, the whole setting made him feel like the nature was screaming for something. Then, he went on to paint The Scream with blood red clouds and screaming backgrounds. Thus, the painting was born.”

Who Inspired the Painting of The Mona Lisa?

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The Mona Lisa is a work of art that has been represented in hundreds of poems, movies, plays, and other forms of art. Completed in the early 1500s after 7 years of work by Leonardo da Vinci, the Mona Lisa “is said to have been commissioned by a gentleman named Francesco del Giocondo, who hired Leonardo to paint a portrait of his wife, and this is why The Mona Lisa is sometimes referred to as La Gioconda,” states the article Leonardo da Vinci’s Life. Apparently, Giocondo and his wife “wanted The Mona Lisa for their new home, and to mark the birth of their second child. Many believe that the woman in the painting is indeed Lisa del Giocondo.”

What is your absolute favorite work of art? Whatever it is, take a few moments to do an Internet search about the stories behind it. We guarantee it will give you a greater appreciation of and reverence for it.