WALKS OF ART
Mona Lisa

Mona Lisa

Da Vinci · 1519
Room 711Pending review
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Mona Lisa is the most famous painting of the Musée du Louvre - and is estimated to attract over 8 million visitors a year!

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It represents Lisa del Giocondo, a 16th-century noblewoman from Florence.

The portrait was commissioned by her husband, a wealthy silk merchant and politician.

It is particularly famous for her enigmatic smile and her stare - which seem to follow the viewer around the room.

Mona Lisa — image 1

But did you notice that she doesn’t have any eyebrows?

These were removed in the 16th century, when it was fashionable to shave them off!

Mona Lisa — image 1
Mona Lisa — image 2
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Da Vinci took the painting with him when he moved to King Francis' I court in France, and kept it for himself until his death.

It was then bought by the king and became part of several famous private collections - both Louis XIV and Napoleon's wife, Josephine, had it in their apartments.

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Fun fact : in 1919 Marcel Duchamp thought the painting had an erotic side to it.

He cheekily added a moustache and the letters "L.H.O.O.Q" to his version, which, in French, reads "Elle a chaud au cul" - meaning "Her ass is on fire"!

Mona Lisa — image 1

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