Interesting Backgrounds

When I finished this painting the background was empty: nothing there but a blue wash. Sometimes I will leave it like that and add a background later. The expression on the model's face reminded me of something and at first I couldn't think what. Then it hit me! Da Vinci's Mona Lisa was sitting in a similar position, with similar hair. I decided to add a background resembling the one in the Mona Lisa, a landscape heavily obscured by the presence of humidity. I stuck with my own color scheme, a mostly analogous piece with blues and violets. I think it adds to the 'story' and changes the painting from a posed portrait to a painting of a woman  who is actually living somewhere. Or maybe I'm just hoping it does that.

9" x 12" oil on linen

Modern Mona Lisa