M: What makes a painting a great work of art?
There are many answers to that question. Some
people think that a painting should look pretty.
Others disagree. The skill of the painter is
important. The techniques used are also important.
Most of all, a great painting has meaning. A
great painting has a special element in it.
Sometimes, a painter’s special element is the
way he portrays his or her feelings in a piece of
art. An example of this is Picasso’s painting,
Guernica. It has strange shapes in it. It shows
suffering people, too. It is not a very pretty picture.
However, it makes people understand Picasso’s
feelings about war.
Other times, the element is a memory or feeling.
This comes from inside another person. Someone
may see a painting and be reminded of a beautiful
memory. A painting can also remind people of a
feeling. For example, Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona
Lisa is very popular. Many people like her smile.
Some people say it is a mysterious smile. Others
say it is a happy one. Still others make up stories
about the woman in the painting.
Which element is the most important? Is it
the skill of the artist or the feelings of the person
looking at the painting? Whatever the case, a
painting that grabs people’s emotions is popular.