Mona Lisa

Mona Lisa, is a 16th century oil painting by Leonardo da Vinci, and is one of the most famous paintings in the world. Few works of art have been subject to as much scrutiny, study, mythologizing and parody. It is owned by the French government and hangs in the Musée du Louvre in Paris. The painting, a half-length portrait, depicts a woman whose gaze meets the viewer's with an expression often described as enigmatic.

the title

The title Mona Lisa stems from the Giorgio Vasari biography of Leonardo da Vinci, published 31 years after Leonardo's death. Mona was a common Italian contraction of madonna, meaning my lady, the equivalent of the English Madam, so the title means Madam Lisa.

interesting stuff

Leonardo da Vinci began painting the Mona Lisa in 1502 and, according to Vasari, completed it in four years. Leonardo took the painting from Italy to France in 1516 when King François I invited the painter to work at the Clos Lucé near the king's castle in Amboise. The King bought the painting for 4,000 écus and kept it at Fontainebleau, where it remained until moved by Louis XIV.

picture: http://www.ibiblio.org/wm/paint/auth/vinci/joconde/joconde.jpg

information:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mona_Lisa