Who painted the Mona Lisa and when did he start working on it?
Leonardo da Vinci painted the Mona Lisa and began working on it by October 1503. The Louvre states that it was doubtless painted between 1503 and 1506.
Questions about Mona Lisa
Short answers, pulled from the story.
Who is the woman depicted in the Mona Lisa portrait?
The painting depicts Lisa del Giocondo, a member of the Gherardini family of Florence and Tuscany. She was the wife of a wealthy Florentine silk merchant named Francesco del Giocondo.
Where is the Mona Lisa currently located and when did it arrive there?
The Mona Lisa is currently housed in the Louvre Museum in Paris. It went on permanent display at the Louvre in 1797 after being moved from the Palace of Versailles.
What happened to the Mona Lisa during the 1911 theft and when was it returned?
The painting was stolen from the Louvre on the 21st of August 1911 by Louvre employee Vincenzo Peruggia. It was returned to the Louvre on the 4th of January 1914 after being kept in Peruggia's apartment for two years.
Why does the Mona Lisa smile appear to change or disappear when viewed directly?
Research by Professor Margaret Livingstone of Harvard University in 2003 found that the smile disappears when observed with direct vision known as foveal. Peripheral vision picks up shadows well, creating the ambiguous mood in the corners of the mouth and eyes.
What is the origin of the landscape seen in the background of the Mona Lisa?
Research in 2023 and 2024 by geologist and art historian Ann Pizzorusso suggests the landscape contains features of Lecco on the shores of Lake Como. The bridge in the background was identified by Silvano Vincenti as the four-arched Romito di Laterina bridge near Laterina, Arezzo.