The Mona Lisa is a half-length portrait painting by Italian artist Leonardo da Vinci. Considered an archetypal masterpiece of the Italian Renaissance, it has been described as “the best known, the most visited, the most written about, the most sung about, the most parodied work of art in the world”.
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The painting’s novel qualities include the subject’s enigmatic expression, the monumentality of the composition, the subtle modeling of forms, and atmospheric illusionism.
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What is the story behind the Mona Lisa?
The Mona Lisa is likely a portrait of the wife of a Florentine merchant. For some reason, however, the portrait was never delivered to its patron, and Leonardo kept it with him when he went to work for Francis I, the King of France. The Mona Lisa’s mysterious smile has inspired many writers, singers, and painters.
Lisa del Giocondo was a member of the Gherardini family of Florence and Tuscany, and the wife of wealthy Florentine silk merchant Francesco del Giocondo. The painting is thought to have been commissioned for their new home, and to celebrate the birth of their second son, Andrea.
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