Mona Lisa

The Mona Lisa, painted by Leonardo da Vinci between 1503 and 1519, is the world's most famous portrait, likely depicting Lisa Gherardini, the wife of a Florentine merchant. Housed in the Louvre Museum behind bulletproof glass, the painting is surprisingly small, measuring only about 30 by 21 inches, and was executed on a poplar wood panel rather than canvas. It is renowned for Leonardo’s use of sfumato, a technique of soft, smoky blending that gives the subject her famously ambiguous smile and lifelike appearance. While it has always been a masterpiece, its global celebrity skyrocketed after it was stolen from the Louvre in 1911, an event that dominated international headlines for two years. Today, the painting is considered priceless and remains a cultural icon, continuing to draw millions of visitors who come to see its mysterious gaze and historical secrets, such as the microscopic details and faded eyebrows revealed only by modern high-definition scans.