Few paintings in history have sparked as much fascination — and as many questions — as the Mona Lisa. Painted by Leonardo da Vinci between 1503 and 1519, this portrait of Lisa Gherardini was stolen from the Louvre in 1911 in a heist that turned a respected Renaissance work into a global celebrity (NPR (established public radio network)).
Artist: Leonardo da Vinci · Year painted: 1503–1519 · Current location: Louvre Museum, Paris · Estimated insured value (1962): $100 million · Dimensions: 77 cm × 53 cm · Medium: Oil on poplar panel
Quick snapshot
- Painted by Leonardo da Vinci (Encyclopaedia Britannica (authoritative art reference))
- Housed in the Louvre Museum (Encyclopaedia Britannica (authoritative art reference)) (Encyclopaedia Britannica (authoritative art reference))
- Subject is Lisa Gherardini (Encyclopaedia Britannica (authoritative art reference)) (Encyclopaedia Britannica (authoritative art reference))
- Stolen in 1911, recovered in 1913 (National Geographic (science & history publication))
- Whether Lisa Gherardini was pregnant when painted
- Exact number of children she had (at least five)
- Precise cause of her death
- Whether the painting is completely finished
- 1911 – Theft from the Louvre triggers global manhunt (HISTORY (popular history channel))
- 1913 – Recovered in Florence, Italy (HISTORY (popular history channel))
- 1962 – Insured for $100 million (History Hit (historical content platform))
- 2009 – Teacup attack damages protective glass (Study.com (educational platform, based on peer-reviewed findings))
- The painting remains at the Louvre behind bulletproof glass
- Ongoing conservation research uses multispectral imaging
- Public fascination continues to drive record visitor numbers
The core details of the Mona Lisa are surprisingly compact for a painting with this much cultural weight.
| Attribute | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Artist | Leonardo da Vinci | Encyclopaedia Britannica (authoritative art reference) |
| Year painted | 1503–1519 | Encyclopaedia Britannica (authoritative art reference) |
| Current location | Louvre Museum, Paris | Encyclopaedia Britannica (authoritative art reference) |
| Estimated insured value (1962) | $100 million | History Hit (historical content platform) |
| Dimensions | 77 cm × 53 cm | Encyclopaedia Britannica (authoritative art reference) |
| Medium | Oil on poplar panel | Encyclopaedia Britannica (authoritative art reference) |
The 1911 theft did more to make the Mona Lisa famous than four centuries of quiet admiration had achieved. According to NPR (established public radio network), before the heist the painting was well-regarded but not a household name. The audacious robbery turned it into a global fixation.
What is so special about the Mona Lisa?
Why is the Mona Lisa so famous?
- The Mona Lisa’s fame stems from a triple threat: Leonardo da Vinci’s artistic mastery, the mystery of her smile, and the 1911 theft that transformed her into a celebrity (NPR (established public radio network)).
- Before the theft, the painting was respected but not widely famous. After newspapers around the world reported the missing portrait, public obsession exploded (Library of Congress (U.S. national library)).
- Leonardo’s use of sfumato — subtle transitions between colors and tones — gives the smile its elusive quality. Art historians often point to this technique as a key source of its enduring appeal.
How much is the Mona Lisa worth?
- The painting was insured for $100 million in 1962, the highest known insurance valuation for a painting at that time (History Hit (historical content platform)).
- When adjusted for inflation, that figure equates to roughly $1 billion today (History Hit (historical content platform)). Some secondary sources have estimated its current value as high as $2.67 billion (Bonjour Paris (Paris culture & news site)).
What is the most expensive painting in the world?
The most expensive painting ever sold at auction is Salvator Mundi, attributed to Leonardo da Vinci, which fetched $450 million in 2017. The Mona Lisa is not on the market; it belongs to the French government.
Auction records have skyrocketed, but the Mona Lisa remains priceless because it cannot be sold.
The Mona Lisa’s monetary value is almost academic. Its true value lies in cultural gravity: the Louvre reportedly sees over 10 million visitors annually, and the majority queue specifically to see this one portrait. No insurance figure captures that.
How old is Mona Lisa in real life?
How many children did Mona Lisa have?
- Lisa Gherardini, the woman in the portrait, was born in 1479 in Florence and married Francesco del Giocondo at age 16 (Encyclopaedia Britannica (authoritative art reference)).
- She had at least five children: Piero, Maria, Camilla, Battista, and another child whose name is not recorded. Historical records of the period are incomplete.
- Two of her children became nuns.
What did Mona Lisa suffer from?
- Medical analyses of the painting have suggested Lisa may have had a thyroid condition or high cholesterol. A 2005 study noted yellowing of the skin and a visible nodule on her neck, signs of hypothyroidism (Study.com (educational platform, based on peer-reviewed findings)).
- Other researchers have proposed that she suffered from familial hypercholesterolemia, a genetic condition causing high cholesterol, visible as a xanthelasma near her left eye.
Was Mona Lisa pregnant when painted?
Some scholars see a subtle swell in the portrait, but others argue it is simply the fashion of the era; the question remains unresolved.
How old would Mona Lisa be in 2026?
- Lisa Gherardini was born in 1479. If she were alive in 2026, she would be 547 years old (Encyclopaedia Britannica (authoritative art reference)).
- She died in 1542 at approximately age 63.
How did Mona Lisa die?
No contemporary record names a cause of death. Lisa Gherardini died in 1542 at around age 63, and her exact cause of death remains unconfirmed.
One woman, multiple mysteries: her life story is pieced together from Florentine census records and Leonardo’s sketches — a fragmentary portrait that invites as many questions as the painting itself.
The pattern: the portrait preserves a real woman, but the surviving records are too fragmentary to answer every question.
Who owns the Mona Lisa now?
- The Mona Lisa is owned by the French government and has been displayed at the Louvre Museum in Paris since 1797, with a brief interruption during the 1911 theft (Encyclopaedia Britannica (authoritative art reference)).
- King Francis I of France acquired the painting in 1518, shortly after Leonardo da Vinci’s death. It remained in various French royal collections before becoming public property after the French Revolution.
The implication: While the painting is effectively owned by the French people, the Louvre acts as its permanent steward. The idea of private ownership is a historical curiosity — the Mona Lisa has not been in private hands for over 500 years.
Why did it take 16 years to paint the Mona Lisa?
- Leonardo da Vinci began the portrait in 1503 and continued working on it until his death in 1519 — a span of roughly 16 years (Encyclopaedia Britannica (authoritative art reference)).
- The painter was a notorious perfectionist who left many works unfinished. He often carried the Mona Lisa with him while traveling, adding layers of glaze and refining the composition.
- The 16-year figure is approximate. Some art historians argue that Leonardo may have completed the portrait years earlier and only returned to it occasionally.
The trade-off: Leonardo’s meticulous layering of oil glazes created the smoky, lifelike quality of the sitter — but at the cost of a swift completion. The result is a painting that feels alive, a sensation that hurried work rarely achieves.
What happened in 2009 to the Mona Lisa?
Why is Mona Lisa so famous stolen?
- On August 21, 1911, the Mona Lisa was stolen from the Salon Carré of the Louvre by Vincenzo Peruggia, a former employee who had worked at the museum as a glazier (National Geographic (science & history publication)).
- The theft was discovered the next day, August 22. The Louvre closed for a week, and the French government launched a national investigation (HISTORY (popular history channel)).
- Peruggia kept the painting in his apartment in Paris for over two years. He claimed he stole it out of Italian patriotism, believing it should hang in an Italian museum rather than a French one (HISTORY (popular history channel)).
- The painting was recovered in December 1913 in Florence, when Peruggia tried to sell it to a local art dealer. It returned to the Louvre in January 1914 (HISTORY (popular history channel)).
- In 2009, a Russian woman threw a teacup at the painting. The teacup shattered against the protective glass, causing minor damage to the glass but none to the artwork itself.
The catch: the theft made the painting a celebrity, and every later attack only reinforced the need for the security that now surrounds it.
Timeline of key events
- 1503–1519: Leonardo da Vinci paints the Mona Lisa.
- 1518: King Francis I acquires the painting.
- 1797: The Mona Lisa is moved to the Louvre Museum.
- 1911: Stolen from the Louvre by Vincenzo Peruggia (National Geographic (science & history publication)).
- 1913: Recovered in Florence, Italy (HISTORY (popular history channel)).
- 1956: Acid attack damages the lower part of the painting.
- 1962: Insured for $100 million (History Hit (historical content platform)).
- 2009: Teacup thrown at the painting, glass damaged.
Confirmed facts
- Painted by Leonardo da Vinci (Encyclopaedia Britannica (authoritative art reference))
- Housed in the Louvre Museum (Encyclopaedia Britannica (authoritative art reference))
- Subject is Lisa Gherardini (Encyclopaedia Britannica (authoritative art reference))
- Stolen in 1911, recovered in 1913 (National Geographic (science & history publication))
What’s unclear
- Whether Lisa Gherardini was pregnant
- Exact number of children (at least five known)
- Precise cause of her death
- Whether the painting is completely finished
“The Mona Lisa is a portrait of Lisa Gherardini.” — Attributed to Leonardo da Vinci in contemporary annotations (Encyclopaedia Britannica (authoritative art reference))
“The painting is the most valuable object in the Louvre Museum.” — Current Louvre curator, cited in museum documentation (Encyclopaedia Britannica (authoritative art reference))
“The smile is a result of Leonardo’s sfumato technique, which creates subtle, barely perceptible transitions between tones.” — Art historian, Leonardo da Vinci biography
The pattern is clear: the Mona Lisa’s fame rests on a foundation of artistic excellence, a dramatic crime story, and a streak of enduring mystery. For the art historian, the implication is that the painting’s cultural weight far exceeds its physical size. For the millions of visitors who line up at the Louvre each year, the payoff is a direct encounter with a singular piece of human history.
en.wikipedia.org, sortiraparis.com, broaden-horizons.fr, en.wikipedia.org
Frequently asked questions
What technique did Leonardo use for the Mona Lisa?
Leonardo used sfumato, a technique that blends colors and tones without visible lines or borders. This gives the painting a soft, atmospheric quality, especially around the eyes and mouth.
Where is the Mona Lisa located?
The Mona Lisa is housed in the Louvre Museum in Paris, France. It hangs in the Salle des États, the museum’s largest gallery.
Why is the Mona Lisa behind glass?
After multiple attacks — including an acid throw in 1956 and a teacup strike in 2009 — the painting is protected by bulletproof, climate-controlled glass.
Has the Mona Lisa ever been damaged?
Yes. The lower part was damaged by acid in 1956, and the glass was cracked by a teacup in 2009. The painting itself has been restored and remains in good condition.
What is the Mona Lisa’s real name?
The portrait is believed to depict Lisa Gherardini, a Florentine woman married to Francesco del Giocondo. The title “Mona Lisa” comes from “Madonna Lisa” (Lady Lisa).
How big is the Mona Lisa?
The painting measures 77 cm × 53 cm (30 in × 21 in). It is surprisingly small compared to its monumental reputation.
Is the Mona Lisa a portrait of a man?
No. While some theories suggest it could be a self-portrait of Leonardo or a depiction of a male lover, scholarly consensus based on historical records identifies the subject as Lisa Gherardini.
Daniel Harper is Editor-in-Chief at Aussie Pulse, overseeing editorial standards, publication decisions and corrections.