Mona Lisa

Today, in 2020, the Mona Lisa is believed to be

worth more than $ 860 million, taking into
consideration the inflation. Leonardo Da Vinci
painted the Mona Lisa between 1503 and 1506
AD. It’s painted in such a way that the eyes of the
Mona Lisa fall into the center of vision of the user,
while the lips fall into the peripheral vision.
Who painted the Mona Lisa?
• Leonardo da Vinci, an artist, scientist and inventor during the
Italian Renaissance, is the painter of the Mona Lisa. He is
considered to be one of the most versatile polymaths of all
time.
• The term ‘Renaissance Man’ (someone versatile in a plenty
of things) was coined based on Leonardo’s many talents and
is today used to describe people who are similarly versatile in
terms of talent.
• Who was Mona Lisa: The woman in the painting
• The subject of the paintings is popularly believed to be an
Italian noblewoman called Lisa del Giocondo – the wife of a
wealthy Florentine silk merchant named Francesco del
Giocondo.
• The painting was commissioned for their new home and to
celebrate the birth of their second son, Andrea.
• Mona Lisa meaning
• In those days, in Italy, Mona meant Madonna, which was
how all women were addressed (e.g., Mrs.) and therefore
the name Mona Lisa.
• The Italian name of the Mona Lisa painting is La Gioconda,
which literally translates to ‘the jovial/happy one’. This is
supposed to be a pun on the feminine name form of Lisa’s
married name – Giocondo.
• When was the Mona Lisa painted?
• It is believed that Da Vinci began painting the Mona Lisa in 1503 or 1504 in
Florence (Italy).  It took Da Vinci 4 years to finish painting the Mona Lisa,
despite its surprisingly small size.
• However, there is no clear, undisputed knowledge regarding when exactly
was the painting completed.
• Although the Louvre – world’s largest art museum and a historic monument
where the original Mona Lisa is displayed – states that the Mona Lisa was
painted between 1503 to 1506, some historians and Leonardo experts say
that the painting couldn’t have been painted before 1513 AD.
• How much is the Mona Lisa worth?
• Da Vinci’s Mona Lisa was assessed for insurance in 1962 and it was
attached an insurance value of $100 million.
• That sum, in 2020, is equivalent to more than $860 million after
adjusting for inflation.
• The painting is so valuable that in 2014, a France 24 article (France
24 s a French state-owned international news television network)
suggested that the Mona Lisa could be sold to help erase the national
debt of the country!
• However,  it was noted that “the Mona Lisa and other such art works
that were held in museums that belonged to public bodies are
considered public property and cannot be otherwise.”
• Why is the Mona Lisa so famous?
• Leonardo da Vinci used several unique and innovative techniques to
paint the Mona Lisa. The painting redefined the rules of
contemporary art at the time and the method he employed has
become an integral part of today’s art school curriculum.
• The technique (of not using  lines or borders)
• One of the tools da Vinci created was the sfumato technique, which
translates to ‘without lines or borders, in the manner of smoke’. It
was typical at the time for artists to form an outline, whereas Da Vinci did
not use outlines, but instead used different tones/shades of paint to
create the illusion of light and shadow.
• Starting with dark undertones, he built the illusion of three-dimensional
features through layers and layers of thin, semi-transparent glazes. He
used darker shades to highlight features and borders of the subject. The
use of this technique caught the interest of the art circle in Paris and was
hailed as a groundbreaking innovation in painting.
• There were many other unique characteristics of the Mona Lisa that
intrigued the art world and viewers, such as the landscape (mountains
and rivers) in the background. A portrait was usually drawn with a
background of open sky, a monotone background, or a room. The
background was also unusual due to the dimensions of the
mountains.
• However, these small points of uniqueness are only recognized by
people in the know or by those who have studied the painting; this
still doesn’t explain why everyone in the world seems to wants to see
it.
• The Mona Lisa’s Smile
• One of the most popular reasons for the Mona Lisa’s global appeal is
her smile. Da Vinci exploited an optical illusion to create a unique
smile through perspective and his Lisa’s
The Mona use Smile
of shadow work. Da Vinci
painted the Mona Lisa in such a way that the eyes of the Mona Lisa
fall directly in the center of vision of the viewer, while the lips fall just
under the periphery of one’s vision. His sfumato technique further
ensured that the eyes and the lips were the most prominent features.
• Interpretations of the Mona Lisa’s smile
• There are various interpretations to the smile; some say it’s a happy
smile, some find it deceptive, and still others feel that it is a sad smile.
Apart from the very nature of the smile, it has also led to many
speculations as to who the subject was; in other words, whose face
inspired the most famous painting in history? The facial expression
gives the painting an enigmatic quality, leaving the viewer wondering
what the model was thinking, who she was, and why she seems
happy to some and sad to others.
• Hidden Secrets in the Mona Lisa
• There are rumors of hidden secrets and symbols within the painting.
Academicians have identified evidence of various (unknown) layers of
pictures within the Mona Lisa. Scholars are said to have identified at
least four different paintings that may be varieties of the Mona Lisa,
with several different people as the subject. Some claim that Da Vinci
actually painted the Mona Lisa in his likeness, as a female Da Vinci.
• Da Vinci was known to be an interesting character himself, in addition
to being an inventor, artist and scientist. In his heyday and under the
patronage of Francois I, he managed to create an aura of celebrity
around himself. His fame rubbed off on the Mona Lisa, which was also
favored by Francois I, his patron.
• It is important to know that only 20 finished canvas paintings were
done by Da Vinci during his lifetime, further increasing the Mona
Lisa’s rarity. The fact that it was stolen in the early days of the 20th
century added further to its fame.
• Artists like Duchamp, Dali and Warhol publicized the painting further
through their own reproductions. The painting has been used as an
object for mass reproduction, merchandising, lampooning and
speculation, and has been reproduced in 300 different paintings and
more than 2,000 advertisements.
• There are some other controversial stories as to who the subject of the
painting is. The Mona Lisa, was always displayed in a place of
importance, even publicly displayed in the Fontainebleau, Francois I’s
favorite château in 1519. In 1800, the Mona Lisa was hung in
Napoleon’s bedroom, and in 4 years it was moved to the Louvre, which
it still calls home.
• The Mona Lisa continues to be studied by artists and academicians to
uncover the apparent mystery that hands around her like a shroud. Its
reputation as a carrier of symbols, secrets and other unknown
mysteries will surely keep the popularity of the Mona Lisa intact for a
very long time.
• 10 Facts You Might not Know about the Masterpiece
• 1. She lived with Francois I, Louis XIV and Napoleon

Although da Vinci began work on his masterpiece while living in his

native Italy, he did not finish it until he moved to France at King
Francois I's request. The French king displayed the painting in his
Fontainebleau palace where it remained for a century. Louis XIV
removed it to the grand Palace of Versailles. At the outset of the 19th
century, Napoleon Bonaparte kept the painting in his boudoir.
• 2. Some historians believe Mona Lisa is a 
Self-Portrait of Leonardo da Vinci.

Leonardo da Vinci died in 1519, and he is buried at a French castle.

Italy's National Committee for Cultural Heritage is undertaking an
investigation, and plans to dig up his skull. They want to rebuild
Leonardo's face, using CSI-style technology. Will he resemble the
mysterious Mona Lisa?
• 3. She has her own room in the Louvre Museum in Paris.

After the Louvre launched a four-year, $6.3 million renovation in

2003, the painting now has its own room. A glass ceiling lets in natural
light, a shatter-proof glass display case maintains a controlled
temperature of 43 degrees F. and a little spotlight brings out the true
colors of da Vinci's original paints.
• 4. It is a painting but not a canvas.

Da Vinci's famous masterpiece is painted on a poplar plank.

Considering he was accustomed to painting larger works on wet
plaster, a wood plank does not seem that outlandish. Canvas was
available to artists since the 14th century, but many Renaissance
masters preferred wood as a basis for their small artworks.
• 5. Jackie Kennedy invited her to visit.

Over the centuries, French officials have only rarely let the painting
out of their sight. However, when first lady Jackie Kennedy asked if
the painting could visit the U.S., French President de Gaulle agreed.
"Mona Lisa" went on display at the National Gallery of Art in
Washington D.C. and then at the Metropolitan Museum of the Arts in
New York City.
• 6. A thief made her famous.

Although in the art world, the painting had always been an

acknowledged masterpiece, it wasn't until it was stolen in the
summer of 1911 that it would capture the attention of the general
public. Newspapers spread the story of the crime worldwide. When
the painting finally returned to the Louvre two years later, practically
the whole world was cheering.
• 7. Picasso was under suspicion for the theft. During the investigation,
the gendarmes went so far as to question known art dissidents such
as Pablo Picasso about the theft. They briefly arrested poet Guillaume
Apollinaire, who had once said the painting should be burned. Their
suspicions proved to be unfounded.
8. She receives fan mail.
Since the painting first arrived at the Louvre in 1815, "Mona Lisa" has
received plenty of love letters and flowers from admirers. She even
has her own mailbox.
• 9. Not everyone is a fan.
Various vandals have tried to harm da Vinci's famed masterpiece, and
1956 was a particularly bad year. In two separate attacks, one person
threw acid at the painting, and another individual pelted it with a
rock. The damage is faint but still noticeable. The addition of
bulletproof glass repelled subsequent attacks with spray paint in 1974
and a coffee cup in 2009.
• 10. She cannot be bought or sold.

Truly priceless, the painting cannot be bought or sold according to

French heritage law. As part of the Louvre collection, "Mona Lisa"
belongs to the public, and by popular agreement, their hearts belong
to her.
15 Facts About Leonardo Da Vinci's The Last Supper
1. IT'S BIGGER THAN YOU THINK.
Countless reproductions have been made in all
sizes, but the original is about 15 feet by 29 feet.
2. THE LAST SUPPER CAPTURES A CLIMACTIC MOMENT.
Everyone knows the painting depicts Jesus's last meal with his
apostles before he was captured and crucified. But more
specifically, Leonardo da Vinci wanted to capture the instant just
after Jesus reveals that one of his friends will betray him,
complete with reactions of shock and rage from the apostles. In
Leonardo da Vinci's interpretation, the moment also takes place
just before the birth of the Eucharist, with Jesus reaching for the
bread and a glass of wine that would be the key symbols of this
Christian sacrament.
3. YOU WON'T FIND IT IN A MUSEUM.
Although The Last Supper is easily one of the world’s
most iconic paintings, its permanent home is a convent
in Milan, Italy. And moving it would be tricky, to say the
least. Leonardo da Vinci painted the religious work
directly (and fittingly) on the dining hall wall of the
Convent of Santa Maria delle Grazie back in 1495.
4. ALTHOUGH IT'S PAINTED ON A WALL, IT'S NOT A
FRESCO.
Frescos were painted on wet plaster. But Leonardo da
Vinci rejected this traditional technique for several
reasons. First off, he wanted to achieve a grander
luminosity than the fresco method allowed for. But the
bigger problem with frescos—as Leonardo da Vinci saw
it—was that they demanded the painter rush to finish
his work before the plaster dried.
5. LEONARDO DA VINCI USED A BRAND NEW
TECHNIQUE ON HIS FUTURE MASTERPIECE.
In order to spend all the time he needed to perfect
every detail, da Vinci invented his own technique, using
tempera paints on stone. He primed the wall with a
material that he hoped would accept the tempera and
protect the paint against moisture.
• 6. VERY FEW OF LEONARDO DA VINCI'S ORIGINAL BRUSHSTROKES
REMAIN.
• Although the painting itself was beloved, da Vinci's tempera-on-stone
experiment was a failure. By the early 16th century, the paint had
started to flake and decay, and within 50 years, The Last Supper was a
ruin of its former glory. Early restoration attempts only made it worse.
• Vibrations from Allied bombings during World War II further
contributed to the painting's destruction. Finally, in 1980, a 19-year
restoration effort began. The Last Supper was ultimately restored, but
it lost much of its original paint along the way.
7. A HAMMER AND NAIL HELPED LEONARDO ACHIEVE
THE ONE-POINT PERSPECTIVE.
Part of what makes The Last Supper so striking is the
perspective from which it's painted, which seems to
invite the viewer to step right into the dramatic scene.
To achieve this illusion, Leonardo da Vinci hammered a
nail into the wall, then tied string to it to make marks
that helped guide his hand in creating the painting's
angles.
8. RENOVATIONS ELIMINATED A PORTION
OF THE LAST SUPPER.
In 1652, a doorway was added to the wall that
holds the painting. Its construction meant that a
lower central chunk of the piece—which included
Jesus' feet—was lost.
9. THE LAST SUPPER'S JUDAS MAY HAVE BEEN
MODELED AFTER A REAL CRIMINAL.
It is said that the look of every apostle was based on a
real-life model. When it came time to pick the face for
the traitorous Judas (fifth from the left, holding a bag of
telltale silver), Leonardo da Vinci searched the 
jails of Milan for the perfect-looking scoundrel.
10. THERE MAY BE A BIBLICAL EASTER EGG HERE.
To the right of Jesus, Thomas stands in profile, his
finger pointing up in the air. Some speculate that this
gesture is meant to isolate Thomas's finger, which
becomes key in a later Bible story when Jesus rises
from the dead. Thomas doubts his eyes, and so is
entreated to probe Jesus' wounds with his finger to
help him believe.
11. THE MEANING OF ITS FOOD IS UP FOR DEBATE.
The spilled salt before Judas has been said to represent 
his betrayal, or alternately, is seen as a sign of his bad
luck in being the one chosen to betray. The fish served
has similarly conflicted readings. If it is meant to be eel,
it might represent indoctrination and thereby faith in
Jesus. However, if it's herring, then it could symbolize a
nonbeliever who denies religion.
12. IT'S INSPIRED SOME WILD THEORIES.
In The Templar Revelation, Lynn Picknett and Clive
Prince propose that the figure to the left of Jesus is not
John, but Mary Magdalene, and that The Last Supper is
key evidence in a cover-up of the true identity of Christ
by the Roman Catholic Church.
13. THE LAST SUPPER ALSO INSPIRED POPULAR FICTION.
And not just The Da Vinci Code. A pervasive part of the painting's
mythology is the story that Leonardo da Vinci searched for ages for the
right model for his Judas. Once he found him, he realized it was the
same man who had once posed for him as Jesus. Sadly, years of hard-
living and sin had ravaged his once-angelic face. As compelling a story
as this is, it's also totally false.
• 14. IT'S BEEN MIMICKED FOR CENTURIES.
• Fine art and pop culture have paid tribute to The Last Supper with a
cavalcade of imitations and parodies. These range from a 16th century oil
painting reproduction to new interpretations from Salvador Dali, 
Andy Warhol, Susan Dorothea White, and Vik Muniz, who made his out of
chocolate syrup.
• Recreations of The Last Supper's distinctive tableau can also be found in
the Mel Brooks comedy History of the World, Part 1, Paul Thomas
Anderson's stoner-noir Inherent Vice, and Luis Buñuel's Viridiana, which
was declared "blasphemous" by the Vatican. It's also been a plot point
in The Da Vinci Code and Futurama.
• 15. WANT TO SEE THE LAST SUPPER IN PERSON? BETTER BOOK
(WAY) IN ADVANCE.
• Though The Last Supper is one of Italy's must-see sites, the convent in
which it is located was not built for big crowds. Only 20 to 25 people
are allowed in at a time in visiting blocks of 15 minutes. 
It is recommended visitors book tickets to see The Last Supper at least
two months in advance. And be sure to dress conservatively, or you
may be turned away from the convent.
Church and Dominican Convent of Santa Maria delle
Grazie with "The Last Supper" by Leonardo da Vinci ©
OUR PLACE The World Heritage Collection
• https://www.scienceabc.com/social-science/why-is-mona-lisa-so-fam
ous-worth-cost-today-meaning.html
• https://www.leonardodavinci.net/the-mona-lisa.jsp
• https://
www.mentalfloss.com/article/64372/15-things-you-should-know-abo
ut-last-supper
• https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/93/