Facts about the Mona Lisa (painting)
- 09
Theft of the Mona Lisa in 1911 dramatically boosted its fame, making it a global icon after newspapers worldwide published its image during the two-year search.
- 08
Her enigmatic smile has inspired countless psychological studies, with neuroscientists discovering that viewers perceive the expression differently depending on their viewing distance due to the sfumato technique's optical effects.
- 07
Walnut oil and possibly poppy oil were da Vinci's choice of medium for the Mona Lisa, allowing him to work slowly and blend colors seamlessly on the panel over many years.
- 06
Sitter Lisa Gherardini, a Florentine merchant's wife, was identified as the Mona Lisa's subject through historical documents and genealogical research conducted in the early 2000s.
- 05
X-ray fluorescence analysis conducted in 2004 revealed that the Mona Lisa's flesh tones contain lead compounds, indicating da Vinci used lead-based pigments in his underpainting.
- 04
In 1911, an Italian handyman stole the Mona Lisa from the Louvre, hiding it in his apartment for two years before authorities recovered it.
- 03
Approximately 6 million visitors view the Mona Lisa annually at the Louvre, making it the most visited artwork in the world.
- 02
Paint analysis reveals da Vinci applied the Mona Lisa's layers over approximately 15 years between 1503 and 1519, using a technique called sfumato to create soft, almost imperceptible transitions between colors.
- 01
Leonardo da Vinci's Mona Lisa measures 77 by 53 centimeters and hangs behind bulletproof glass at the Louvre Museum in Paris.