The painting was painted by Leonardo da Vinci between 1503 and 1519.
The Mona Lisa is one of the most famous paintings in the world, but what is it about this portrait that makes it so iconic? The painting was painted by Leonardo da Vinci between 1503 and 1519, although it wasn’t until around 100 years later that it became known as the Mona Lisa. Why did people start calling it this? And why is this portrait so famous?
Who is the Mona Lisa?
Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa is widely believed to be a self-portrait of the artist himself. The name “Mona” comes from “monna,” which means “my lady” in Italian. While there are many theories about who exactly the subject of this painting was, we do know that she was a real person. She has been identified as Lisa Gherardini, wife of Francesco del Giocondo.
Why does everyone think she’s smiling?
“Mona Lisa” translates to “My Lady Lisa.”
“Mona” means “my lady.”
“Lisa” means “defender.”
The title “La Gioconda” (which translates to “the happy woman”) was first used in 1841 by French poet Théophile Gautier, and has stuck ever since. This poem describes her as being: “Laughing all day long with her pretty little mouth; she seems to be saying:
“What do you want from me?”.” It also refers to her smile as being “so sweetly sad/that it would melt your heart away!” There are many theories about why Leonardo chose for his subject to have such a mysterious smile on her face.
