Virgin Of The Rocks By Leonardo Da Vinci Analysis

Register to read the introduction… One particularly remarkable example used is Leonardo Da Vinci’s “Virgin of the Rocks”. The gist of what the essay had to say about that painting is how the painting was once unique, never to be seen in two places at once, but after the invention of the camera and television, “Virgin of the Rocks” is capable of being seen by millions of people at once from the comfort of their own …show more content…
However, Berger’s explanation shows how this is not true. It is because one has already seen this work of art, we already have a perception of it in our mind, and nothing can change this because it has already been imprinted on the mind. After the replica of the painting is in memory, the original ceases to be “Virgin of the Rocks,” it becomes “the original version of the replica”. While this may seem redundant at first, it is the qualities that we search for in the painting that sets it apart from the impression we would have received if we ONLY saw the original painting. Someone seeing the “original version of the replica” would look for qualities of the painting that express how it is the real thing, rather than the meaning the painting is intended to have. Berger sums up his point by describing the meaning of a widely copied painting as “no longer to be found in what it says, but in what it is.” (Berger …show more content…
While I have not visited many famous works of art, I have been to a various small art exhibitions, where the artists walk freely among their fans and the paintings lack any bulletproof glass. While the technique and dedication invested into the paintings were impressive, the meanings of the paintings were self-evident a majority of the time, perhaps because I was not looking at the qualities that made it genuine. Would I be able to say the same if I were looking at a famous work of art such as “Virgin of the Rocks”? It is difficult to guess just sitting here in front of a computer screen, but I would have to wager that indeed, I would be thinking about how the “real” painting I am standing in front of is likely worth more than an average person’s house. The ridiculous value of the vast majority of artwork is a truly a testament to the fact that the rarity of the painting has superceded the vision of the original artist.

While I have only touched on a few points of Berger’s, I feel that I have covered the essence of his essay. His arguments were made with solid reasoning, and are convincing, although hard to grasp. The solution I believe that he is pushing towards is definitely sounds absurd at first, upon further reflection it seems valid to me. Getting art out to the public is not