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 … See more

The title of the painting, which is known in English as Mona Lisa, is based on the presumption that it depicts Lisa del Giocondo, although her likeness is uncertain. Renaissance art historian Giorgio Vasari wrote that "Leonardo undertook to paint, … See more

Creation and date
Of Leonardo da Vinci's works, the Mona Lisa is the only portrait whose authenticity has never been seriously questioned, and one of four … See more

The Mona Lisa began influencing contemporary Florentine painting even before its completion. Raphael, who had been to Leonardo's … See more

The Mona Lisa bears a strong resemblance to many Renaissance depictions of the Virgin Mary, who was at that time seen as an ideal for womanhood. The woman sits markedly upright in a pozzetto armchair with her arms folded, a sign of her … See more

The Mona Lisa has survived for more than 500 years, and an international commission convened in 1952 noted that "the picture is in a … See more

Prado Museum La Gioconda
A version of Mona Lisa known as Mujer de mano de Leonardo Abince ("Woman by Leonardo da Vinci's hand", Museo del Prado, … See more