The Mona Lisa is a half-length portrait painting by Italian artist Leonardo da Vinci. Considered an archetypal masterpiece of the Italian Renaissance, it has been described as “the best known, the most visited, the most written about, the most sung about, the most parodied work of art in the world”.
Why is the Mona Lisa very famous?
The writers of the 19th century aroused interest in the Mona Lisa, but the theft of the painting in 1911 and the ensuing media frenzy brought it worldwide attention.
Is Mona Lisa real life?
Mona Lisa, La Gioconda from Leonardo da Vinci’s masterpiece, was a real person. And we’re not talking about a self-portrait of the artist, as you may think. Mona Lisa was a real Florentine woman, born and raised in Florence under the name of Lisa Gherardini.
The theft of the century
On 21 August 1911, panic broke out at the Louvre…the Mona Lisa had disappeared! The news spread like wildfire and generous rewards were promised for her return – but all in vain. Nothing was heard of the painting for over two years. Then one day, Vincenzo Peruggia, a glazier who had worked at the Louvre, tried to sell the world’s most famous painting to an Italian art dealer…who alerted the authorities. So the Mona Lisa was recovered – and her fame was all the greater.
Sources:
https://www.louvre.fr/en/explore/the-palace/from-the-mona-lisa-to-the-wedding-feast-at-cana