Leonardo Da Vinci, Mona Lisa
This is one of the most famous paintings of all time. This kind of portrait was the inspiration behind the Mona Lisa, but with time, its significance changed, and it now stands as a symbol of the Renaissance and is arguably the most famous painting in the entire world. It has been called "the best known, the most visited, the most written about, the most sung about, and the most parodied work of art in the world" and is regarded as the paradigmatic masterpiece of the Italian Renaissance. Nevertheless, for whatever reason, the portrait was never given to its owner, and Leonardo carried it with him when he traveled to work for King Francis I of France. The enigmatic expression of the subject, the monumentality of the composition, the deft modeling of shapes, and the atmospheric illusionism are some of the painting's novel features.
Da Vinci's captivating portrait, which was painted between 1503 and 1517, has been the subject of two inquiries ever since it was created: Why is the subject smiling, and who is she? Over the years, a variety of ideas for the former have been put forth: That she is Caterina, Leonardo's mother, as imagined from his childhood memories of her; that she is the spouse of Florentine merchant Francesco di Bartolomeo del Giocondo (thus the alternative title for the piece, La Gioconda); and finally, that it is a self-portrait dressed as another person. Regarding that fabled smile, its enigmatic character has long baffled mankind. Whatever the cause, Leonardo's use of atmospheric perspective allows the idealized landscape behind Mona Lisa to fade into the distance while maintaining her expression of unnatural peace.
The French Republic now owns the picture, which King Francis I of France purchased. Since 1797, it has been on exhibit continuously at the Louvre in Paris. One of the most expensive works of art in the world is the Mona Lisa. With a US$100 million insurance valuation in 1962 (equivalent to $870 million in 2021), it currently holds the Guinness World Record for the highest known art insurance valuation in history.
Artist: Leonardo Da Vinci
Created: 1503
