“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.”
17 comments:
I believe the reason a company would choose to use a work of art such as the Mona Lisa is so that people assosiate the companys product with sophistication. Whether or not their is any credance to this type of thinking I do not know. If anything I feel that this type of advertising only cheapings the original piece. I feel the same way in commercials when I hear a classic song written by a dead musician used a seel a product. As far as the message that this add is sending and what the company is inferring about the Mona Lisa's smile, I believe they are telling readers that happiness is achieved by looking the best that you can. Good looks is not in the eye of the beholder, but more in what society says is good looking.
When the painting first came about, it was created to show elegant beauty in a very simplistic form. Aside from her face, there is no evidence of the rest of her physical beauty. Now, however, the audience is drawn to her hair, instead of her face. Everyone can identify the Mona Lisa, so the company is trying draw the consumer in with something familiar. It has also been directed towards an older crowd by using the line “restores age-damaged hair”. So it’s saying that Mona Lisa is old, but there’s still hope for her hair, so there must be hope for yours as well. I also feel as if though, the ad says that there’s always time to fix the old things and bring them up to date. I’m sure Mona Lisa, wears a very traditional hair style for the time, but with Pantene, the old hair style can be transformed into something more contemporary. The ad seems to suggest that people can no longer get by with just a “nice face”, but need to have cosmetic products enhance their looks.
1. Describe one way the meanings associated with the original painting effect the product being sold:
The Mona Lisa is often used as a symbol of beauty so when Pantene appropriates the image to sell a new product it is meant align itself with this tradition of beauty.
2. Provide one example of how the ad’s use of digital technology changes the meaning of the original:
Because the original image of the Mona Lisa is so ingrained in the public conscious when we are presented with an altered version we are able to recall the original and almost compare them as if they were a person we had met but hadn't seen in a while. So when shown the Pantene ad it is almost as if we think the smile on her face is due to her new hairstyle. The smile is somehow linked with what we know to have changed even though it seemed so ambiguous in the original.
3. Comparing this advertisement to the Mona Lisas made by modern artists of the Dada and Surrealist movements, what does the ad suggest about our society’s ideas and beliefs about beauty?
I think that both the Pantene ad and the Dada/Surrealist recreations of the Mona Lisa were in reaction to perceived social concepts of beauty. But while the means might be similar they had almost opposite goals. The Dada/Surrealist painters seemed to want to undermine the supposed beauty of the Mona Lisa in order to point out the limited view of beauty that it presented. On the other hand the Pantene ad want to harness this idealized vision of beauty to, as I said before, align itself within this preconceived spectrum of what beauty could be. So I think both of them only really work if we were to say that our society's views on beauty were still very limited.
-Johnathon Olsen
The childhood memories of playing telephone down a line of miniature desks brings forth to mind that with the passage of time and the help of a few creative imaginations, a hasteful interpretation can tamper with the true or perhaps implied meaning of the creator's original intent. From what I've learn of paintings and their painters is that the work itself gives us as much visual information of a lady of virtue as it does of Da Vinci's opinion of such a woman. Lisa Gherardini was indeed the ideal beauty during the 16th century. However, during current times it's difficult to define beauty exclusively on appearance. True beauty is happiness. Lisa's lips and far away eyes, partly smiling but nevertheless content seems like the ideal lady. Inviting and elegant, stirring similar emotions from the landscape, the Mona Lisa represents peace and happiness.
That being said Pantene has pawn this priceless interpretation in for a few lousy dollars. Staying true to the ill tendencies of our materialistic demanding culture, Pantene claims to revitalize beauty and happiness only if you purchase said product for x amount. The original meaning of the Mona Lisa helps sell a few bottles of gunk, but the newly restored Mona only helps in offering a superficial sense of exuberance.
I don't think the ad's use of technology changes much in respect to the meaning of the original. I do believe however that such technology made the painting that much easier to desecrate. It's interesting having them side by side for comparison. I think back to those before and after photographs where the person would have apparently lost 52 lbs, but in this case Mona received the full package: hair extensions, spray tan number 6, and maybe even a little breast work. Oh! Mona you naughty girl you, grr baby! Yea!
I think it's obvious that our society idealizes beauty. Sex sells. Our eyes need candy and marketers just happen to know what kind. The ad suggests we change ourselves to look like them. We disguise our imperfections everyday so we can appear identical and not be singled out. Instead of providing true remedies to self esteem issues, companies are selling us quick fixes and making sure they break another part of us so we keep coming back. Unlike the statements of the Dada and Surrealist movements, the ad places plastic beauty on an rising pedestal. Marcel Duchamp sought to shed light that we're all different and that even a lady with a bit of facial hair should be a fair candidate for beauty queen.
-David Ortiz
The use of the Mona Lisa in this company's ad is to their advantage in the way that it appears to be rejuvenated. The Mona Lisa is a very famous painting that most if not all of the consumers that are marketed in this ad would recognize. The picture in the ad is regenerated to look more pleasing to the eye with enhanced tone and color and most obvious the hair is changed. So the meanings and views of the original painting are vintage, old and dated. This effects the ad by letting the marketers give the old painting a makeover and play on positive emotions of the consumers specifically emotions that play on beauty.
To contrast, the Duchamp painting of the Mona Lisa plays more on a fine line of what the eye sees and leads the brain to interpret. In this painting the subject looks like it could be a man or a woman. The subtle facial hair gives the painting a more masculine look, however the fame of the original painting tells us that it is a picture of the woman Mona Lisa.
- Jacob Rengstorf
The meanings associated with Mona Lisa are exactly what this company is using to sell their product. They know that everyone will recognize this painting and know that it is extremely old. They also realize that people associate beauty with the Mona Lisa. As a company that sells products that are supposed to enhance beauty, this works to their advantage. The digital technology used to enhance Mona Lisa's hair is simply saying,"we can even make Mona Lisa more beautiful." Also, because it is such an old painting, the ad emphasizes the fact that Pantenes' product can even restore the oldest and most damaged hair. Because of the changes to her hair, we no longer have to ponder what she is smiling about. It leads us to believe that she is smiling about her new and improved hair, all thanks to Pantene
Nick LaVake
The original Mona Lisa is a symbol of simple beauty and elegance. The product being sold uses that historic symbol of beauty and adds to it a modern day view of elegance. It uses humor to portray of "Time Renewal" hairspray and adding a punning on the fact that the Mona Lisa painting has garnered some age-damage. The digital alterations made to the painting change the meaning from a figure of historical beauty to one of a new-age attractiveness and vibrant fleeting elegance. Thus adding humor to the notion of the Mona Lisa as a piece of dates classic history.
The Dada alteration shows that we see beauty as an elegant normal womanly figure. And we add more masculine images to it such as a mustache it adds humor because of its unnaturalness, but it also severely downgrades the beauty in our modern eyes.
How the ad’s use of digital technology changes the meaning of the original is subtle, keeping the face expression the same on Mona Lisa, but at the same time, clearly emphasizing the difference in hair texture and skin tone. The meaning of the portrait therefore creates a different statement from the original altogether with the unnatural look of the silky waves of hair intruding the original portrait of Mona Lisa’s straight black hair. Whether we know the history behind the portrait or not, it is common knowledge to know that Mona Lisa never possessed silky tresses as shown in the Pantene ad. Therefore, the ad, with the generosity of digital technology, goes far to say that beautiful silky hair can be obtained by any who whom is willing to take advantage of their product.
Benjamin’s statement that mechanical reproduction will always result in representing a new meaning connects with this example of how digital technology helped change the Mona Lisa painting to Pantene’s advantage. Thus, we have the ‘Pantene Mona Lisa’.
Our society’s ideas and beliefs about beauty in relation to the modern artists of the Dada and Surrealist artworks of Mona Lisa are different in that we emphasize beauty to that of a Mona Lisa’s mysterious, alluring smile paired with silky tresses that woman nowadays would envy in comparison to the modern artists’ satirical version to display looks of a man that could create a whole opposite meaning; that looks did not matter as long as she had a desirable body ( referring to Duchamp’s “she has a hot ass” in French). Beauty will always be given its rightful recognition from our history to present time, but the statements that the ad and re-paintings by modern artists impose different viewpoints of how beauty is appreciated in their time.
Jean Yang
Section 33074
Brent Coughenour
I believe that a reason for the use of the Mona Lisa in an advertisement would be to create a connection with the mona lisa's reputation. The Mona Lisa is supposed to represent beauty and sophistication, and the company using it being a beauty product would obviously want people to associate their product with the Mona Lisa. The purpose of this add is also to create a sense that the mona lisa can be a little out dated, while making the hair more modern the person seeing the ad is supposed to make a connection that they should "update" to a more "Modern" style. This proves that society's idea of beauty is always changing or evolving.
-- Describe one way the meanings associated with the original painting effect the product being sold.
The main meanings most associate with the original Mona Lisa is the ideas of beauty and happiness. By using this classic painting in the ad, Pantene is implying that happiness and beauty will be yours if you purchase the product. The image is so recognizable that the ad does not have to go into detail about these concepts, but they are still brought to the front of the thinking process.
--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?)
The original painting had an example of beauty at the time it was created (the 1500's). Employing digital technology has allowed the artist to use more of today's standards for beauty, but at the same time keep enough of the original that it remains extremely recognizable. For example, fair skin was attractive back then, today more bronzed skin is seen as more beautiful. The healthier looking weight used to say "beauty" but today thinner is considered more beautiful, so her chin is narrowed slightly. Her fingers are also more slender, with longer nails in the new version. The bosom remain untouched surprisingly, and lastly the hair is made more voluminous and shiny to show what the purpose of the product is.
-- Comparing this advertisement to the Mona Lisas made by modern artists of the Dada and Surrealist movements, what does the ad suggest about our society’s ideas and beliefs about beauty?
It seems our society's believes and ideas about beauty have a lot to do with feminism. The ad no longer has a hood around the head of Mono Lisa, and instead has wavy locks of rich hair. The Surrealist movement Mono Lisa emphasizes the hood which hides the hair, making it stand out less. It also adds the beard and mustache making it clearly not feminine at all. It demonstrates our modern society's dislike of body hair, especially on females, and especially within the last 10 years.
Jordan Steffen
it is obvious that the company chose this image becasue it has been considered "beautiful" for centuries, something a hair product company whould certainly want their product to be associated with. The alterations made to the photo are quite eye-catching and also a bit disturbing. In a culture of continually changing and harder to achieve beauty standards the Mona Lisa has aways stood for beauty and this company adds long flowing wavy hair to her image, something considered pretty by western standards. Also, in this new image Mona Lisa's skin tone has been darkened and other slight changes have been made, all of which reflect our society's idea of ideal. While this Ad alters her image in order to sell a product, the Mona Lisa Of the Dada movement was intended to break down the. The ad's use of Mona Lisa on the other hand is only building up on surrnet ideas of physical beauy. The Dada image is a silly irreverent, yet very important painting while the Ad is a bastardization intended to sell some shampoo.
One issue in our modern culture that this ad addresses is that of age. We are living in a society that adores youth and fresh beauty, and pushes aside the value of growing older. Many of the commercials you see on TV are for skincare lines claiming to "turn back the clock" and restore a youthful appearance to women's skin. Plastic surgery statistics have soared over the last decade. It seems like most women nowadays are fighting time and the natural physical progressions of age.
This ad plays on a well-known, classical, old painting that has faded quite a bit, really showing its age. Not only do they add new, exxagerated, bouncy hair, but they spruce up the rest of the image, too. They re-color the faded places and give it an overall more modern look. By doing this, they are playing on our subconsious selves that have bought into the "younger is better" message. The ad says that by buying this product, not only will it restore your hair's youth, but it will make the rest of you younger, too.
The Dada version of the image is an irreverant slap to the idea of classical art. It is laughing at the "stuffy" old painters and scholars that came before it, and is trying to show a new vision of the way art is made.
Bethany Davey
One way the meanings associated with the original painting effect the product being sold is that, the original painting is an instantly recognizable and familiar piece. the familiarity conjures up images of trust and longevity; a trust and reliability that the producer wants associated with their product. the use of digital altering changes the meaning of the original because it glamorizes Mona Lisa. The change of her hair style is much more contemporary in style. It changes the formality of the original work so it is not just a portrait of an ordinary 16th century women. This add is a ringing statement for our societies emphasis on beauty. it suggests that beauty is changing with the times, and the use of the mona lisa is a throwback towards what beauty once was. Its a portrait of beauty in the 16th century, and what it should be now, according to the manufacturer of the product.
Artwork is a result of the artist’s creative expression. This work is devalued when it is manipulated, recreated or enhanced. In some cases art that is recreated is the sincerest form of flattery. However art work, like the Mona Lisa, when manipulated and enhanced depreciates the quality of its presence and beauty.
When the Mona Lisa was painted, it was during a time when aging was considered beautiful. They didn’t have products like Pantene, or other artificial products used to prevent aging. But the Pantene advertisement of the Mona Lisa shows the women with luscious soft hair and tanner skin. Also the painting is retouched to make it look newer than it is. It’s almost like trying to make the painting look younger than it is, like the product is created to help age-damaged hair. Even the smile in the painting, once a mysterious expression, is now suggesting that the woman is smiling because of her hair. Aging is such a beautiful process yet today society does everything it can to come up with newer products to help you look younger, instead of valuing the miracle of age.
Society doesn’t seem to value artwork. Instead of appreciating it’s beauty and age, they manipulate an original piece of art, thereby devaluing it and manipulating it for their own benefit.
Alexandra Keck
By using the Mona Lisa to tote their wares, Pantene is hoping to capitalize on the message of simplistic elegance and beauty that this particular piece of art represents. In so doing, however, the advertiser destroys all that the original piece of work stands for. Beauty is not within the eye of the beholder but within the bottle of Pantene's time renewal spray (which, incidentally, creates a waxy build up on the hair follicles, leading to more severe dryness and damage FYI) . The advertisers have also managed to turn something breathtaking and singularly beautiful into a cheap mockery. Mona no longer looks like a self assured, confident woman but a self satisfied, haughty aristocrat, with whom most of us could not relate.
Kelly Pelot
To begin with there are two ideas that come to mind with how the original painting has an influence on the product being sold in the digitally enhanced version. First of all the advertisement is for shampoo and/or conditioner. In the original painting the hair in the Mona Lisa was straight, dull and seemed dry. The Pantene ad features the hair as vibrant, shiny and radiant, hence implicating that the product can take hair in bad condition and make it look great. Also this original painting has a sense of class, prestige and sophistication which influences the consumer as well. The digitally adjusted photo says something different about her smile. Giving her renewed hair and more attractive skin makes her smile almost seem like that of a smile you'd see a model give in a magazine, rather then the duller smile in the original portrait, even though they are the same smile. This says something about our societies emphasis on beauty, and how sex and beauty sells both products and confidence, although the 3rd example of the Mona Lisa has a different meaning and distortion as the Pantene version. These are the conclusions I've drawn from my interpretations.
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