The Mona Lisa
Mona Lisa (also known as La Gioconda or La Joconde) is a 16th-century portraiy painted in oil on a poplar panel by Leonardo di ser Peiro la Vinci during the Renaissance in Florence, Italy. The work is currently owned by the Renaissance Goverment of France and is on display at the Musee du Louvre in Paris under the title Portrait of Lisa Gherardini', wife of Francesco del Giocondo.[1
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The painting is a half-length portrait and depicts a seated woman (it is almost unanimous that she is Lisa del Giiocondo) whose facial expression is frequently described as enigmatic.[2] Others believe that the slight smile is an indication that the subject is hiding a secret. The ambiguity of the subject's expression, the monumentality of the composition, and the subtle modeling of forms and atmospheric illusionism were novel qualities that have contributed to the continuing fascination and study of the work.[1] Many critics note that Leonardo painted the most famous portrait of all time.[3][4]