The Story Behind the Mona Lisa: History, Mystery, and Controversy

Leonardo da Vinci began painting the Mona Lisa around 1503 in Florence, and scholars believe he continued refining it for years — possibly until 1517. The sitter is widely thought to be Lisa Gherardini, wife of the Florentine merchant Francesco del Giocondo, which is why Italians call the work La Gioconda.

Leonardo carried the unfinished portrait with him when he moved to France at the invitation of King Francis I around 1516. After Leonardo's death in 1519, the painting entered the French royal collection and eventually hung at the Palace of Fontainebleau before finding its permanent home at the Louvre.

For centuries the Mona Lisa was admired by artists and collectors but was not yet the global superstar we know today. That changed dramatically on August 21, 1911, when a Louvre employee named Vincenzo Peruggia hid in a closet overnight, removed the painting from its frame, and walked out with it under his coat the next morning.

The theft made international headlines. Picasso was briefly suspected. For two years the painting was missing until Peruggia tried to sell it to an Italian art dealer in Florence, who recognized it immediately. The Mona Lisa returned to the Louvre in 1914 to a hero's welcome — and a level of fame that has never faded.

The enigmatic smile and Leonardo's sfumato technique — soft, almost smoke-like blending of tones — continue to fascinate scientists and art historians. Infrared scans have revealed layers of changes beneath the surface, suggesting Leonardo reworked the composition multiple times, including shifting the position of the hands.

Today the Mona Lisa hangs behind bulletproof glass in the Denon wing, drawing millions of visitors each year. The room is crowded, but standing before the painting — even briefly — remains one of the defining experiences of any Louvre visit. Go early, be patient, and take a moment to look past the crowd at the quiet confidence in her gaze.