As the young lady looks slightly to the right of the viewer, her eyes squint a little, miming thoughtfulness – perhaps this is an inner gaze that visualizes a memory, or recalls an event. As a result, she appears to look past the viewer, through us and at the same at us; she is present, but her mind is elsewhere. This very duality acts as a source of endless mystery and fascination, and is one of the reasons for the portrait’s enigma.
Interestingly, there are no apparent wrinkles that usually accompany squinting, making her focus slightly supernatural, as if occurring in and of itself.
The Hands
A portrait subject’s hands will often reveal more intent than its face. The hands frequently become an iconography agent, holding an object – a letter, a book, a scepter, a weapon, a flower, a ring – that bespeaks not only the meaning, but also the designed mood and the purpose of the painting. Mona Lisa’s hands, completely empty and holding nothing, thus emerge as yet another element that amplifies the enigma.