Response to your “Mona, Masterpiece”

My god!  I’ve been waiting these several years for MOA (Museum of Antiquities) to reopen and now I find it’s morphed into MONA.  Curiously, I managed to snap ma femme in company with Lisa at the Palais in Paris recently. 

What’s in a name? 

I also recall an earlier misunderstanding with a cab driver in NYC.  I had asked to be taken to the Museum of Modern Art (from the village) and he told me he knew where to go and would drop me in th street/at the station outside MOMA.  I argued, but it was useless, and eventually I gave in and let him take me there to MOMA.  I figured when I got out of the cab I’d find my own way from this ‘MOMA’ to the actual museum where I was going.  He was right, I was wrong. 

Maybe I’ll get down to MONA soon. 

Are there any antiquities left?

Incidentally, the La Gioconda is fabulous.  I’ve heard about/seen her smile, but from postcards, or from pix in books, it always looked a bit awkward.  I used to think that it was a pretty plain portrait that was only famous because of who painted it.  But ...  I kid you not.  When I saw the real thing, I got a glimpse of a woman who was alive, with life in her eyes and face, the ‘smile’ coming from within.  In my ignorance, I’d equated a smile with a particular position of the lips/mouth.  Gees, Leonardo did create a masterpiece!  He got her personality.  I don’t know how, and - sorry for stumbling around with words - if was as if he captured her live, like as in a moment in time, as a camera can sometimes do.  Now I’m left to wonder how he did it.

Oh what a dreamer’s web he wove
with paint and board, what was it?  Love?

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