Leonardo da Vinci was a leading artist during the renaissance period and some of his work is still displayed and beloved today. Along with his talents with the paintbrush, da Vinci was also an …show more content…
The piece was to be a half body commission of Giocondo’s wife, Lisa Gherardini, and it was to celebrate their new home’s completion and the birth of their second son. Da Vinci worked on the painting between 1504 and 1519. Like many of da Vinci’s works, the piece was never completely finished and was never delivered to Giocondo and his wife. (“Facts & History of the Painting.") Da Vinci was an innovator and was willing to try new techniques when he worked. “Mona Lisa” was an oil painting with a cottonwood panel as the surface, which was very unusual because most oil paintings were made on canvas. The “Mona Lisa” has also survived for six centuries without having to be restored, which can be credited to the medium used for the painting. ("Facts & History of the Painting.") The “Mona Lisa” is by far the most famous painting in the world. Every year, nearly 6 million people visit the Louvre Museum and nearly all of them stop to admire the painting. ("Interesting Mona Lisa Facts.") But why is the “Mona Lisa” such a popular …show more content…
Since it was created, there have been questions about the “Mona Lisa” that have peaked the interest of all those who see it. One of which regards the identity of the woman in the picture. Evidence suggests that the portrait is of Lisa Gherardini, and was to be a gift from her husband, Francesco Del Giocondo. The discovery that the original name of the painting is actually “Monna Lisa” (a common Italian shortening of Madonna, meaning “my lady”), but later became known as “Mona Lisa” because of a spelling error, suggests that this theory is true. ("Interesting Mona Lisa Facts.") Though it is almost unanimously accepted that the woman is in fact Lisa Gherardini, many have also speculated that the painting may be a self-portrait of Leonardo da Vinci in