MONA LISA (portrait of Lisa Giocondo): The Mona Lisa was one of Italian Leonardo da Vincis favourite paintings, and he carried it with him until he died. Today, it is regarded as the most famous painting in the world, and is visited by millions of people every year in Paris, France. Who is this familiar figure? Many suggestions have been made, but the most likely candidate is Lisa Gherardini who became Mrs Lisa del Giocondo after marrying an Italian Florentine silk merchant, known as Francesco del Giocondo. It was her husband Francesco that paid Leonardo da Vinci to paint his wife Lisa. Today, the Mona Lisa looks rather sombre, in dull shades of brown and yellow. This is due to a layer of varnish covering the paint, which has yellowed over the years. It is possible that the painting was once brighter and more colourful than it is now. The Mona Lisa was stolen from the Louvre (a museum in Paris, France) in 1911, by a former employee who believed the painting belonged in Italy. The thief walked out of the gallery with the picture underneath his painters smock. He was apprehended by police two years later, and the painting was safely returned. The Mona Lisa is worth about $1 billion (one billion US dollars) but its not for sale and remains priceless. Dr Maduka Ogwueleka (MRCPUK).
Posted on: Mon, 25 Nov 2013 08:03:09 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015