The Mona Lisa is a painting by renowned artist Leonardo da Vinci. The painting was created during the Italian Renaissance around 1503 and is speculated to have been completed in 1506, although some scholars believe that work may have continued on the piece until as late as 1517. Mona Lisa is rumoured to be the most well-known painting in the world, being one of the most visited, written about, and parodied works of art. It is also one of the most valuable pieces of art in the world, being insured at approximately $650 million dollars. It has been speculated that one of the main reasons for the painting’s popularity is due to the theft of the painting from the Louvre in 1911, althoug
h this is debated by art historians who claim that the painting has always been popular in art circles.
The painting is a portrait of Francesco del Giocondo’s wife, Lisa Gherardini, and was painted using oil on a white Lombardy poplar panel. The painting was acquired by King Francis I of France for an unknown sum of money and has remained property of France, with the official current owner being listed as the French Republic. The work of art is on permanent display at the Louvre Museum in Paris and has been since 1797 where the work remains one of the most popular attractions.
Mona Lisa is one of the most studied works of art, particularly the subtleties of the piece, such as the expression on the subject’s face and the background.