Musée du Louvre · Paris

Mona Lisa

Leonardo da Vinci · c. 1503–1519 · Oil on poplar panel

Mona Lisa
Detail study hands
Hands and Sfumato Technique
Detail study landscape
Imaginary Aerial Landscape
Louvre exhibition crowd
Salle des États Display

The Mona Lisa is a half-length portrait painting by the 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 written about, the most sung about, and the most parodied work of art in the world." The painting's novel qualities include the subject's enigmatic expression, the monumentality of the composition, the subtle modelling of forms, and the atmospheric illusionism.



Frequently Asked Questions

Who painted the Mona Lisa?

Who is the woman in the painting? When was it painted? Where is the original today? What does “Mona Lisa” mean? What is sfumato? Why does her smile appear to change? What material was the painting made on? How large is the painting? Was the Mona Lisa ever stolen? Why is the painting kept behind glass? What other works did Leonardo create? Is the landscape a

Who is the woman in the painting?

When was it painted? Where is the original today? What does “Mona Lisa” mean? What is sfumato? Why does her smile appear to change? What material was the painting made on? How large is the painting? Was the Mona Lisa ever stolen? Why is the painting kept behind glass? What other works did Leonardo create? Is the landscape a real location? How can I visit the

When was it painted?

Where is the original today? What does “Mona Lisa” mean? What is sfumato? Why does her smile appear to change? What material was the painting made on? How large is the painting? Was the Mona Lisa ever stolen? Why is the painting kept behind glass? What other works did Leonardo create? Is the landscape a real location? How can I visit the painting at the Louv