The Mona Lisa Smile

I could really relate to this article below on the Mona Lisa at the Louvre. I've never enjoyed the big block-buster exhibitions where you have to squeeze through the noisy crowd for a quick glimpse of a painting. They're so claustrophobic and impersonal, and not unlike trying to meditate in the middle of a busy highway. The best thing about them are the catalogues in the museum stores, where you can take them home and view the works in peace. (Going to them at unusual times or when there is something else more important on, and fewer visitors is another option).
Smile, please
"It's the most famous painting in the world and a must-see for anyone visiting Paris. But most people fight through the crowds to spend a mere 15 seconds in front of it - just long enough to grab a snapshot. So why do they bother? To find out, Amelia Gentleman spent a day with the Mona Lisa"
guardian