The Mona Lisa is the most famous, and most visited piece of art in the world. The most distinct features of the Mona Lisa are its vacant smile, beautiful background, and glowing skin.
How long Leonardo da Vinci spent on the Mona Lisa is still under debate. However, scholars think that he worked on the painting for about 14 years. Spending only 4 years officially painting the portrait. Later, he brought the painting to France and finished it there. Leonardo da Vinci painted the masterpiece around the years 1503-1520, but the exact date is unknown.
However, some of the painting’s fame cannot be attributed to the art itself. Much of the Mona Lisa’s fame must be credited to a poison attack in 1911. During this attack, the painting was stolen. This event caused the Mona Lisa to become famous because it disappeared for 2 years. The painting was stolen by Vincenzo Perugia, who wanted to reunite it with its birthplace, Florence, Italy. After he was discovered, Perugia was sentenced to one year in prison. However, he was released 5 months early due to sickness.
The Mona Lisa is now kept in the Louvre Museum, hanging in the museum’s largest room. Here visitors can look at the painting freely. Many are surprised at its size, as the famous portrait is only 30 x 20 inches.
The Mona Lisa remains one of the most infamous and mysterious pieces of art ever created.
Sources:
https://www.louvre.fr/en/explore/the-palace/from-the-mona-lisa-to-the-wedding-feast-at-cana
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mona_Lisa
https://www.britannica.com/topic/Mona-Lisa-painting
How long Leonardo da Vinci spent on the Mona Lisa is still under debate. However, scholars think that he worked on the painting for about 14 years. Spending only 4 years officially painting the portrait. Later, he brought the painting to France and finished it there. Leonardo da Vinci painted the masterpiece around the years 1503-1520, but the exact date is unknown.
However, some of the painting’s fame cannot be attributed to the art itself. Much of the Mona Lisa’s fame must be credited to a poison attack in 1911. During this attack, the painting was stolen. This event caused the Mona Lisa to become famous because it disappeared for 2 years. The painting was stolen by Vincenzo Perugia, who wanted to reunite it with its birthplace, Florence, Italy. After he was discovered, Perugia was sentenced to one year in prison. However, he was released 5 months early due to sickness.
The Mona Lisa is now kept in the Louvre Museum, hanging in the museum’s largest room. Here visitors can look at the painting freely. Many are surprised at its size, as the famous portrait is only 30 x 20 inches.
The Mona Lisa remains one of the most infamous and mysterious pieces of art ever created.
Sources:
https://www.louvre.fr/en/explore/the-palace/from-the-mona-lisa-to-the-wedding-feast-at-cana
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mona_Lisa
https://www.britannica.com/topic/Mona-Lisa-painting
