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I saw the Mona Lisa three or four days after "9/11," and I can honestly say I've never been so underwhelmed by a piece of art in my life.

We had been on our then-annual family trip, that year to Provence (my only, and I promise, my last, trip to France). We were due to fly back to the States on 9/12, but the terrorist attacks shut down trans-Atlantic flights, so we flew from Marseilles to Paris to wait for resumption of air service.

We stayed in a hotel within walking distance of the Louvre, and did a lot of museum time. Much of it, to me, was fascinating. Though I can't say I know much about art, I'm not one who looks upon it with disdain. Some of the tapestries in particular (to name one of thousands of examples) were majestic in their beauty, craftsmanship, and size. But the Mona? Sorry, but *yawn*. Maybe it was just the Carolina redneck coming out in me, but I just didn't "get it." Of course, the fact that it was behind glass, in its own very dimly lit room (its faded colors the worse for the low lighting level), and viewable only after a 20-30 minute wait in line didn't help.

I wonder if da Vinci considered the Mona Lisa as his masterpiece when he painted it, or whether it was just "Painting 179" to him? To me, it wasn't in the Top 100 of the Louvre's attractions. I'll take a Renoir any time.