--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Instead, she sat there, smiling that…" description: "\"“Instead, she sat there, smiling that small, small inscrutable smile, like Mona Lisa herself, although I must say that until that moment, I'd never fou..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/76f/marisa-de-los-santos-8391_mona-lisa_instead-she-sat-there-smiling-that-small_2637998.jpg" --- # Instead, she sat there, smiling that small, small… ![“Instead, she sat there, smiling that small, small inscrutable smile, like Mona Lisa herself, although I must say that until that moment, I'd never found Mona Lisa's smile particularly interesting or even particularly a smile. Looking at Lake, I understood what probably everyone else already knows…” quote by Marisa de los Santos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/76f/marisa-de-los-santos-8391_mona-lisa_instead-she-sat-there-smiling-that-small_2637998.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/76f/marisa-de-los-santos-8391_mona-lisa_instead-she-sat-there-smiling-that-small_2637998.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/76f/marisa-de-los-santos-8391_mona-lisa_instead-she-sat-there-smiling-that-small_2637998.jpg) > ““Instead, she sat there, smiling that small, small inscrutable smile, like Mona Lisa herself, although I must say that until that moment, I'd never found Mona Lisa's smile particularly interesting or even particularly a smile. Looking at Lake, I understood what probably everyone else already knows about the woman in that painting: we are drawn to her not because of what the smile gives us but because it gives us nothing. We are waiting to get past the smile. We are waiting--we've spent centuries waiting--for the woman to speak.”” [Marisa de los Santos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marisa-de-los-santos/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The enigmatic smile captivates because it offers no clear meaning, prompting endless speculation. **In simple terms:** Mystery draws us more than clarity. Key Takeaway Embrace ambiguity, explore deeper. Themes art perception mystery Mood intrigued contemplative Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - museum visit - art class - personal introspection Key Concepts Mona Lisa interpretation silence Questions to Reflect On - How does uncertainty shape your curiosity? - What does the silence reveal? A Different Perspective Some find meaning in explicit messages. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet ## Related quotes > [“a thin coating of fur on her face and she was smiling around small, unfinished fangs. She was flanked”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-garton/a-thin-coating-of-fur-on-her-face-and-she-was-smiling-around-small/) Ray Garton > [“…Mrs. Jo sat smiling over her book as she built castles in the air, just as she used to do when a girl, only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louisa-may-alcott/mrs-jo-sat-smiling-over-her-book-as-she-built-castles-in-the-air-just/) [Louisa May Alcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louisa-may-alcott/) > [and the smile I'd been waiting for stretched across his face like the sun breaking free of the clouds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephenie-meyer/and-the-smile-i-d-been-waiting-for-stretched-across-his-face-like-the/) [Stephenie Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephenie-meyer/) > [I've lived a thousand years in a fucked up world. Full of anger, hate, & pain. Know your friends that hide behind their plastic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-ve-lived-a-thousand-years-in-a-fucked-up-world-full-of-anger-hate/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [. . . a jostling scrum of office buildings so mediocre that the only way you ever remember them is by the frustration they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/prince-charles/a-jostling-scrum-of-office-buildings-so-mediocre-that-the-only-way/) [Prince Charles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/prince-charles/) > [How could we possibly appreciate the Mona Lisa if Leonardo had written at the bottom of the canvas: 'The lady is smiling because she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-kubrick/how-could-we-possibly-appreciate-the-mona-lisa-if-leonardo-had/) [Stanley Kubrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-kubrick/) > [What I am trying to say is that it is not without any value. The value of copies is that they can direct us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abbas-kiarostami/what-i-am-trying-to-say-is-that-it-is-not-without-any-value-the-value/) [Abbas Kiarostami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abbas-kiarostami/) > [A lotta cats copy the Mona Lisa, but people still line up to see the original.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-armstrong/a-lotta-cats-copy-the-mona-lisa-but-people-still-line-up-to-see-the/) [Louis Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-armstrong/) > [“Like the famous lady in the frame (Mona Lisa), to many we remain a mystery”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kris-jenner/like-the-famous-lady-in-the-frame-mona-lisa-to-many-we-remain-a/) [Kris Jenner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kris-jenner/) > [The curious thing about that moustache and goatee is that when you look at the Mona Lisa it becomes a man. It is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcel-duchamp/the-curious-thing-about-that-moustache-and-goatee-is-that-when-you/) [Marcel Duchamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcel-duchamp/) > [Inside the museum infinity goes up on trial. Voices echo, 'This is what salvation must be like after a while.' But Mona Lisa must…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-dylan/inside-the-museum-infinity-goes-up-on-trial-voices-echo-this-is-what/) [Bob Dylan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-dylan/) > [You know, people call mystery novels or thrillers 'puzzles.' I never understood that, because when I buy a puzzle, I already know what it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harlan-coben/you-know-people-call-mystery-novels-or-thrillers-puzzles-i-never/) [Harlan Coben](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harlan-coben/) > [Too many people are worried about having results NOW...the Mona Lisa was not created in a day. Perfection takes time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/too-many-people-are-worried-about-having-results-now-the-mona-lisa/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“This is the Mona Lisa of bad diners.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-clowes/this-is-the-mona-lisa-of-bad-diners/) [Daniel Clowes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-clowes/) > [My favourite song of Elton's is... it's a tricky one for me. I'm a proper fan and I've probably seen him in concert about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-lucas/my-favourite-song-of-elton-s-is-it-s-a-tricky-one-for-me-i-m-a-proper/) [Matt Lucas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-lucas/) ## More by Marisa de los Santos > [“I spoke, I listened, and my heart broke, which is to say that it didn't break at all but became suddenly aware of its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marisa-de-los-santos/i-spoke-i-listened-and-my-heart-broke-which-is-to-say-that-it-didn-t/) [Marisa de los Santos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marisa-de-los-santos/) > [“But every time, what brought me to my senses was my conviction that before a person dropped a new life into this world, she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marisa-de-los-santos/but-every-time-what-brought-me-to-my-senses-was-my-conviction-that/) [Marisa de los Santos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marisa-de-los-santos/) > [“Clare wasn't worried anymore about their being mean to each other. She imagined that someday she'd be part of a friendship in which she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marisa-de-los-santos/clare-wasn-t-worried-anymore-about-their-being-mean-to-each-other-she/) [Marisa de los Santos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marisa-de-los-santos/) > [“But you're wrong. Happiness is EARNED, like everything else. It's achieved.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marisa-de-los-santos/but-you-re-wrong-happiness-is-earned-like-everything-else-it-s/) [Marisa de los Santos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marisa-de-los-santos/) > [“Since you left there's been a you-shaped space beside me, all the time. It never goes away.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marisa-de-los-santos/since-you-left-there-s-been-a-you-shaped-space-beside-me-all-the-time/) [Marisa de los Santos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marisa-de-los-santos/) > [“In my experience, people love what they love. They just do. Or fail to love what they fail to love.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marisa-de-los-santos/in-my-experience-people-love-what-they-love-they-just-do-or-fail-to/) [Marisa de los Santos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marisa-de-los-santos/) > [“She's the main character in her story, just like I'm the main character in mine.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marisa-de-los-santos/she-s-the-main-character-in-her-story-just-like-i-m-the-main/) [Marisa de los Santos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marisa-de-los-santos/) > [“A real life doesn’t mean getting what you want; the achievement, the priviledge, too, is knowing what you love. But getting what you love?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marisa-de-los-santos/a-real-life-doesn-t-mean-getting-what-you-want-the-achievement-the/) [Marisa de los Santos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marisa-de-los-santos/) > [“He wasn’t looking at her, was at such an oblique angle to her that his face was little more than a sliver, but she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marisa-de-los-santos/he-wasn-t-looking-at-her-was-at-such-an-oblique-angle-to-her-that-his/) [Marisa de los Santos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marisa-de-los-santos/) > [“We were friends. It was as big a deal as being in love.” She tried to think of a way to make Amelie understand.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marisa-de-los-santos/we-were-friends-it-was-as-big-a-deal-as-being-in-love-she-tried-to/) [Marisa de los Santos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marisa-de-los-santos/) > [“...in my family I have comrades-hearty and loyal-when what I need are intimates, and I've never figured out how to get us all to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marisa-de-los-santos/in-my-family-i-have-comrades-hearty-and-loyal-when-what-i-need-are/) [Marisa de los Santos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marisa-de-los-santos/) > [“There are people whose deaths make you ache with sadness. And then there are people whose deaths prevent the sun from rising, deaths that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marisa-de-los-santos/there-are-people-whose-deaths-make-you-ache-with-sadness-and-then/) [Marisa de los Santos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marisa-de-los-santos/) > [“Pen realized it: Sometimes there is nothing to do but surrender yourself to wonder... You must stop measuring - over and over - the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marisa-de-los-santos/pen-realized-it-sometimes-there-is-nothing-to-do-but-surrender/) [Marisa de los Santos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marisa-de-los-santos/) > [“You know what he said? He said that being away from me is less like being away from a person than being away from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marisa-de-los-santos/you-know-what-he-said-he-said-that-being-away-from-me-is-less-like/) [Marisa de los Santos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marisa-de-los-santos/) > [“When you say those wedding vows at eighteen, you are committing yourselves—with all that you are and all that you have—to only each other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marisa-de-los-santos/when-you-say-those-wedding-vows-at-eighteen-you-are-committing/) [Marisa de los Santos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marisa-de-los-santos/) [Explore all 81 Marisa de los Santos quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marisa-de-los-santos/) ## More Mona lisa quotes > [My favourite song of Elton's is... it's a tricky one for me. I'm a proper fan and I've probably seen him in concert about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-lucas/my-favourite-song-of-elton-s-is-it-s-a-tricky-one-for-me-i-m-a-proper/) [Matt Lucas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-lucas/) > [“This is the Mona Lisa of bad diners.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-clowes/this-is-the-mona-lisa-of-bad-diners/) [Daniel Clowes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-clowes/) > [Too many people are worried about having results NOW...the Mona Lisa was not created in a day. Perfection takes time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/too-many-people-are-worried-about-having-results-now-the-mona-lisa/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [You know, people call mystery novels or thrillers 'puzzles.' I never understood that, because when I buy a puzzle, I already know what it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harlan-coben/you-know-people-call-mystery-novels-or-thrillers-puzzles-i-never/) [Harlan Coben](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harlan-coben/) > [Inside the museum infinity goes up on trial. Voices echo, 'This is what salvation must be like after a while.' But Mona Lisa must…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-dylan/inside-the-museum-infinity-goes-up-on-trial-voices-echo-this-is-what/) [Bob Dylan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-dylan/) > [The curious thing about that moustache and goatee is that when you look at the Mona Lisa it becomes a man. It is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcel-duchamp/the-curious-thing-about-that-moustache-and-goatee-is-that-when-you/) [Marcel Duchamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcel-duchamp/) > [“Like the famous lady in the frame (Mona Lisa), to many we remain a mystery”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kris-jenner/like-the-famous-lady-in-the-frame-mona-lisa-to-many-we-remain-a/) [Kris Jenner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kris-jenner/) > [A lotta cats copy the Mona Lisa, but people still line up to see the original.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-armstrong/a-lotta-cats-copy-the-mona-lisa-but-people-still-line-up-to-see-the/) [Louis Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-armstrong/) > [What I am trying to say is that it is not without any value. The value of copies is that they can direct us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abbas-kiarostami/what-i-am-trying-to-say-is-that-it-is-not-without-any-value-the-value/) [Abbas Kiarostami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abbas-kiarostami/) > [How could we possibly appreciate the Mona Lisa if Leonardo had written at the bottom of the canvas: 'The lady is smiling because she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-kubrick/how-could-we-possibly-appreciate-the-mona-lisa-if-leonardo-had/) [Stanley Kubrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-kubrick/) > [. . . a jostling scrum of office buildings so mediocre that the only way you ever remember them is by the frustration they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/prince-charles/a-jostling-scrum-of-office-buildings-so-mediocre-that-the-only-way/) [Prince Charles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/prince-charles/) > [When his eyes gazed upon her, he thought of Mona Lisa. All these suitors going by looking at beautiful objects until they came to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-carlson/when-his-eyes-gazed-upon-her-he-thought-of-mona-lisa-all-these/) [Joseph Carlson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-carlson/) > [You should definitely visit the Louvre, a world-famous art museum where you can view, at close range, the backs of thousands of other tourists…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-barry/you-should-definitely-visit-the-louvre-a-world-famous-art-museum/) [Dave Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-barry/) > [“But is the Mona Lisa really art? Well then, what about an undetectably perfect copy of the Mona Lisa? That comparison (however sneaky) points…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bayles/but-is-the-mona-lisa-really-art-well-then-what-about-an-undetectably/) [David Bayles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bayles/) > [“People going to see the Mona Lisa, not to look at it, but because it's the Mona Lisa”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-pope/people-going-to-see-the-mona-lisa-not-to-look-at-it-but-because-it-s/) [Paul Pope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-pope/) Browse all 88 Mona lisa quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Instead, she sat there, smiling that small, small inscrutable smile, like Mona Lisa herself, although I must say that until that moment, I'd never found Mona Lisa's smile particularly interesting or even particularly a smile. 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