There are no definitive dates regarding exactly when Da Vinci produced this famous masterpiece, although it is generally believed that he started at some point between 1503 and 1506.
There is no doubt that Da Vinci is one of the most celebrated individuals in human history – not just in art circles, but across the fields of science, architecture, and engineering.
Many believe that the painting was commissioned by Francesco del Giocondo and that it portrays his wife, Lisa del Giocondo. However, it was either never completed or remained in his possession until his death.
An alternative individual that has often been proposed is Isabella d’Este. Da Vinci produced a drawing of her in 1499 that bare certain remarkable similarities to the Mona Lisa painting.
She seems life-like to an exceptional degree, which Da Vinci achieved by avoiding sketching outlines, a method known as sfumato. This subtle blending is particularly evident in the corners of her eyes, and the corners of her lips.
Da Vinci most likely painted his model true-to-life because her appearance is not considered to be the most attractive, not even by late 15th century or even 21st century standards.
When observed directly, her smile seems to vanish. According to one legend, Da Vinci elicited the smile from his sitter’s lips by hiring musicians and poets to entertain her while he captured her likeness.
The Mona Lisa painting is one of only four works by Leonardo da Vinci whose attribution has not caused debate, and it is the only painting whose provenance has never been significantly questioned.
Many historians had asserted that due to the various date discrepancies, and details visible in the sketches that other artists made upon viewing the artwork, there were potentially two versions of the artwork.
Besides the two supposed versions created by Da Vinci himself, there are also numerous copies, one of which was created by Da Vinci’s workshop at the same time as the original and is therefore regarded as the most significant.
The artwork was still largely unknown by the general public in 1911 when it was stolen from the Louvre on the 21st of August 1911. Vincenzo Peruggia, a museum employee,turned out to be the true culprit.
Pascal Cotte, a French physicist, hypothesized a secret portrait hidden beneath the surface of the artwork in the early 21st century. The underlying portrait appears to be of a model gazing to the side.
Prior to the 1963 tour, the artwork was insured for $100 million, which equates to $700 million in 2023, making it the most valuable painting in the world.