27 Oct,2023
The true identity of the woman depicted in the painting remains a subject of debate. Most experts believe she was Lisa Gherardini, the wife of Florentine merchant Francesco del Giocondo, but some alternative theories exist.
The Mona Lisa's enigmatic smile has puzzled art enthusiasts for centuries. Her smile seems to change as you look at the painting from different angles.
The Mona Lisa was stolen from the Louvre Museum in 1911 by an Italian handyman. It was missing for over two years before being recovered, making headlines worldwide.
In 1956, the painting was damaged when a visitor threw acid at it. The attack left marks on the lower part of the painting, which have since been restored.
Many observers claim that the Mona Lisa's eyes appear to follow you wherever you move in the room, adding to the painting's mystique.
Leonardo da Vinci used a pioneering sfumato technique, a hazy transition between colors and tones, to create the Mona Lisa's soft and realistic appearance.
In 1956, after the vandalism incident, the Mona Lisa was encased in bulletproof glass to protect it from further harm. It remains behind glass at the Louvre Museum to this day.