Da Vinci's »Mona Lisa« – Film Production for Art History TV Series

Retelling the Familiar – How Basiliscus Film Shows the Well-Known from a Different Angle

Every year, millions of people see the Mona Lisa – and walk away disappointed by its small format. For »Meisterwerke Revisited«, Basiliscus Film approached the question differently: why does this painting work so irresistibly as an icon? The answers come from creatives and academics who understand images as a language.

Leonardo da Vinci's »Mona Lisa« at the Louvre in Paris

Everyone knows it – Leonardo da Vinci's Mona Lisa. But why? Why has this particular painting embedded itself so deeply into our everyday lives? Its recognition value is immense, regardless of the context in which we encounter the work. Every icon of art has its own story and background that turned it into a classic. Painted in the early 15th century, the work only achieved worldwide fame following a theft in 1911 – and from that moment on, it developed into the icon it is today.

A Journey Across Europe to the Icons of Art History: 10-Part TV Series for Deutsche Welle | euromaxx

Ten paintings that everyone knows. Ten painters and their biographies. Ten masterworks of art history. Cited, reproduced, and received hundreds of thousands of times. In the series »Meisterwerke Revisited«, we travel to Europe's most renowned museums, present their most famous works, and offer a fresh perspective on each one.

What qualities does Leonardo da Vinci's Mona Lisa fulfil to be considered an icon? Or Edvard Munch's »The Scream«? Advertising creatives, designers, artists, and art historians tell us why these old masterworks remain as relevant as ever – and share their own interpretations.

In the ten-part TV series »Meisterwerke Revisited«, Berlin-based film production company Basiliscus Film – commissioned by Deutsche Welle – dedicates each episode to one of ten paintings that have achieved cult status. Our camera team embarked on an in-depth journey across Europe to visit the most celebrated paintings in art history.