The Mona Lisa is a half-length portrait by Italian artist Leonardo da
Vinci, a popular and prominent figure of the High Renaissance. His most notable works include : Virgin of the Rocks (1483-1499) and the Mona Lisa (1503-1506) the most famous painting in the world. It was painted between 1503-1506 in oil on a white Lombardy popular panel. It has been on permanent display at the Louvre in Paris since 1797 The Mona Lisa is one of the most valuable paintings in the world. It shows a woman sitting upright on an armchair with her arms folded. The woman appears alive to an usual extent which Leonardo achieved by his method of not drawing outlines : a soft blending of the colours and shades creates an ambiguous secret, especially the woman's eyes and smile. The enigmatic woman is portrayed seated in what appears to be an open loggio with dark pillar bases on either side. Leonardo has chosen to place the horizon Line not at the neck as he did with Ginerra de Benci, but on a level with the eyes thus linking the figure with the landscape and emphasizing the mysterious nature of the painting