Elena Rossi
The Mona Lisa, painted by Leonardo da Vinci, is one of the most famous paintings in the world. It is located in the Louvre Museum in Paris, France, and has been since 1804. The painting's global fame and popularity stem partly from its theft in 1911 by Vincenzo Peruggia, who attributed his actions to Italian patriotism. The painting has been the subject of much speculation and debate regarding the identity of the sitter, with many believing it to be Lisa del Giocondo, a member of the Gherardini family of Florence and Tuscany. The mystery of the Mona Lisa, combined with its inherent appeal, has made it an icon of the Louvre Museum and a source of ongoing investigation and fascination.
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What You'll Learn
The Mona Lisa's popularity
The Mona Lisa, painted by Leonardo da Vinci, is considered the most famous painting in the world. It is an archetypal masterpiece of the Italian Renaissance and has been described as "the best known, the most visited, the most written about, the most sung about, [and] the most parodied work of art in the world."
The painting's global fame and popularity can be attributed to several factors. Firstly, the theft of the painting in 1911 by Vincenzo Peruggia and its subsequent recovery in 1914 generated unprecedented publicity for an art theft. The high-profile police investigation and extensive media coverage brought the painting into the public consciousness and led to a massive increase in its recognition worldwide. The appeals for its return and the ensuing media frenzy ironically helped publicise and popularise the painting, with many cultural depictions emerging in its wake, including an opera, films, and a song by Nat King Cole. Secondly, the painting's inherent qualities, such as the subject's enigmatic expression, the monumentality of the composition, the subtle modelling of forms, and the atmospheric illusionism, have captivated audiences for centuries. The mysterious smile and the unproven identity of the sitter, speculated to be Lisa del Giocondo, have been a source of ongoing investigation and fascination.
Additionally, the tour of the Mona Lisa to the United States in 1963 further contributed to its popularity. The painting holds the Guinness World Record for the highest-known painting insurance valuation in history at US$100 million in 1962, equivalent to $1 billion as of 2023, reflecting its immense value. The painting's popularity has also been fuelled by its presence in the Louvre Museum in Paris, which attracts millions of visitors each year, most of whom come specifically to view the Mona Lisa.
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The painting's subject
The subject of the Mona Lisa is a woman, believed by many to be Lisa del Giocondo (née Gherardini), the wife of Florentine merchant Francesco di Bartolomeo del Giocondo. The alternative title of the painting, "La Gioconda", is derived from her married name. The painting is thought to have been commissioned to celebrate the birth of their second son, Andrea, and to hang in their new home.
The identity of the sitter has been the subject of much speculation and debate, with other theories suggesting she may have been a mistress of Giuliano de' Medici, ruler of the Republic of Florence, or even Leonardo's mother, Caterina. This interpretation was put forward by Sigmund Freud, who believed the Mona Lisa's smile emerged from a memory of his mother's smile.
The woman in the painting is depicted sitting in front of a mountainous landscape, wearing a veil, which, according to Bruno Mottin, an expert at the Louvre, is a guarnello, traditionally worn by women during pregnancy or after giving birth. The painting's enigmatic subject, with her mysterious smile and direct gaze, has captivated and fascinated people for centuries, contributing to the enduring popularity and fame of the artwork.
In 2015, French scientist Pascal Cotte claimed to have discovered an image of a different woman underneath the surface of the painting, using reflective light technology. Cotte's reconstruction showed a portrait of a woman looking to the side, without the famous enigmatic smile. This discovery has divided opinions among Leonardo experts, with some questioning the validity of the findings.
The mystery surrounding the identity of the Mona Lisa's subject, combined with the painting's inherent appeal, has undoubtedly contributed to its iconic status and enduring fascination for art lovers and the general public alike.
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![Mona Lisa (The Criterion Collection) [Blu-ray]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/81LhFwxlG9L._AC_UL320_.jpg)
The painting's theft
The Theft
The Mona Lisa, painted by Leonardo da Vinci, is one of the most famous paintings in the world. It is also one of the most valuable paintings globally, with a Guinness World Record for the highest insurance valuation in history at US$100 million in 1962, equivalent to $1 billion in 2023. The painting's fame and popularity are partly due to its theft in 1911, which generated unprecedented publicity.
The painting was stolen from the Louvre Museum in Paris, where it has been since 1804. The thief, Vincenzo Peruggia, was an Italian patriot who believed the painting belonged to Italy. Peruggia was a Louvre employee who hid in a broom closet overnight and walked out the next morning with the painting under his coat. The theft was not discovered until the next day, when a painter named Louis Béroud arrived to view the painting and found an empty space on the wall.
The theft sparked a massive manhunt, with French police interrogating more than 100 suspects, including the poet Guillaume Apollinaire and Pablo Picasso, who were both briefly jailed. Peruggia kept the painting hidden in his apartment in Paris for two years before taking it to Italy in 1913. He tried to sell it to an art dealer in Florence, who notified the authorities, leading to Peruggia's arrest. The painting was returned to the Louvre, where it has remained an object of pilgrimage ever since.
The theft and subsequent recovery in 1914 generated immense media interest and cultural depictions, including an opera, films, and a song by Nat King Cole. The high-profile nature of the crime and the appeals for the painting's return ironically helped publicise and popularise the Mona Lisa, contributing to its enduring fame and cultural significance.
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The painting's location
The Mona Lisa, painted by Leonardo da Vinci, is located in the Louvre Museum in Paris, France. It has been a part of the museum's collection since 1804 and can be found in the Louvre's Department of Paintings, Denon Wing, Room 6. The painting is displayed behind bulletproof glass.
The Louvre Museum is the world's most-visited museum, attracting millions of visitors each year, most of whom come to see the Mona Lisa. The painting's global fame and popularity stem partly from its theft in 1911 by Vincenzo Peruggia, who attributed his actions to Italian patriotism. The painting was recovered in 1914, and the theft and subsequent appeals for its return helped publicise and popularise the artwork.
The Mona Lisa is considered an archetypal masterpiece of the Italian Renaissance and is described as "the best known, the most visited, the most written about, the most sung about, [and] the most parodied work of art in the world." The painting's novel qualities include the subject's enigmatic expression, the monumentality of the composition, the subtle modelling of forms, and the atmospheric illusionism.
The painting's small size, measuring just 30 inches by 21 inches, has not hindered its popularity. It is painted in oil on a poplar wood panel and depicts a woman sitting in front of a mountainous landscape. The woman's identity has been the subject of much speculation and debate, with scholars and historians positing numerous possibilities, including Lisa del Giocondo, the wife of a Florentine silk merchant.
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The painting's artistic techniques
The Mona Lisa, painted by Leonardo da Vinci, is one of the most well-known and celebrated artworks in history. The painting's global fame and popularity stem partly from its 1911 theft, which generated unprecedented publicity. The painting has been described as having "the most expensive insurance policy in history", valued at $100 million in 1962, equivalent to $650 million in 2018. The painting is now considered priceless.
The painting is a half-length portrait, painted in oil on a white poplar panel. The subject is a young woman, believed by some to be Lisa Gherardini, the wife of a Florentine silk merchant. The woman is depicted sitting in front of a mountainous landscape, wearing a veil. The positioning of her eyes and her enigmatic smile create optical effects, giving the impression that she is watching the viewer, no matter where they are standing. This demonstrates da Vinci's scientific and anatomical knowledge.
The painting is renowned for its modern framing and the subtle optical effects that are created by the positioning of the subject's eyes and smile. The background also showcases da Vinci's mastery of perspective, using the sfumato technique to create a gentle merger of colours and shapes.
The mysterious nature of the Mona Lisa is a significant aspect of its enduring appeal. The subject's mysterious smile and unproven identity have sparked ongoing investigation and fascination. Some have claimed that the towering mountains in the background show the influence of Chinese artists, while others believe they depict the Val di Chiana, a valley in Tuscany.
In recent years, a French scientist, Pascal Cotte, has used reflective light technology to analyse the painting and claims to have discovered an earlier portrait hidden underneath the surface. Cotte's technique, called the Layer Amplification Method (LAM), projects intense lights onto the painting, and a camera then measures the reflections to reconstruct what lies between the layers of paint. Cotte believes that the hidden portrait is of Leonardo's original subject, Lisa, and that the Mona Lisa is, in fact, a different woman. However, these claims are controversial and have divided opinions among Leonardo experts.
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Frequently asked questions
There is no painting in front of the Mona Lisa. The painting by Leonardo da Vinci is located in the Louvre Museum in Paris, France, in the Department of Paintings, Denon Wing, room 6.
The identity of the subject of the Mona Lisa is unknown. It has been widely speculated that the subject is Lisa del Giocondo (née Gherardini), the wife of Florentine merchant Francesco di Bartolomeo del Giocondo. However, some have theorised that the subject may have been Leonardo da Vinci's mother, Caterina.
The fame of the Mona Lisa is due to a combination of chance circumstances and the painting's inherent appeal. The painting's theft in 1911 and subsequent recovery in 1914 generated unprecedented publicity, leading to numerous cultural depictions and further popularising the artwork. The mysterious smile of the subject and her unknown identity have also contributed to the painting's celebrity status.
The Mona Lisa is currently located in the Louvre Museum in Paris, France. It has been a part of the museum's collection since 1804 and can be viewed in the Department of Paintings, Denon Wing, room 6.
The Mona Lisa is considered priceless. While it was insured for $100 million in 1962, equivalent to $1 billion as of 2023, the painting's value is likely much higher. The Louvre Museum attracts millions of visitors each year, most of whom come specifically to view the Mona Lisa, making the artwork invaluable to the museum.
