Mona Lisa (La Gioconda)
Painting on poplar panel • Leonardo da Vinci
Style & Movement
High Renaissance
Medium & Technique
Oil on poplar panel using sfumato (smoky) technique and thin glazes for seamless transitions
Creation Period
c. 1503–1506, with continued work until c. 1517
Dimensions & Format
77 cm × 53 cm (30 in × 21 in); Vertical/Portrait format
Subject Description
Half-length portrait of Lisa Gherardini against a distant landscape, featuring the 'enigmatic' smile and revolutionary pyramidal composition.
Condition & Value Assessment
Condition Assessment
Fair; heavily yellowed varnish and visible craquelure, but structurally stable due to climate-controlled casing.
Estimated Market Value
Invaluable; insurance valuation estimated over $800 million (inflation-adjusted).
Auction Estimate
N/A (Considered irreplaceable national treasure of France)
Provenance History
Acquired by King Francis I of France; part of the French Royal Collection; relocated to the Louvre Museum after the French Revolution.
Art Historical Significance
Arguably the most famous painting in the world; redefined portraiture through psychological depth and mastery of aerial perspective.
Notable Features
The eyes appear to follow the viewer; lack of visible eyebrows/eyelashes (likely lost to cleaning); use of atmospheric perspective in the background.
Condition Issues
Age-related craquelure, yellowing of protective varnish, and a slight warp in the wood panel; historically survived a dousing in stomach acid and a theft.
Conservation Recommendations
Keep in a constant climate-controlled, bulletproof glass enclosure; minimize UV exposure; periodic non-invasive imaging monitoring.