Biography of Leonardo da Vinci (1452 - 1519), painter, artist, engineer and renaissance genius from Italy Florence. Find pictures and biographical notes you can't find elsewhere
 
Birthplace in Anchiano
Childhood in Vinci
Apprenticeship Florence
First Works
The Impeachment
First period in Florence
Invitation to France
Death in Amboise
 
The Smile of Mona Lisa
Family tree
Invention of the Bicycle
Online streaming Video

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Leonardo da Vinci

Mona Lisa del Gioconda

The portrait full of mystery and secrets is painted on a 77x53 cm large poplar-wood. It is the most famous work of Leonardo da Vinci. The characteristic consist in the detailed background which disappears in the misty atmosphere (this is called "sfumato" technique), the perfect portraied Mona Lisa and of course her hypnotically smile. Francesco di Bartolommeo di Zanobi del Giocondo, one of the noblest citizen of Florence, ordered from Leonardo a portrait of his third wife Lisa di Antonio Maria di Noldo Gherardini. Leonardo started to work at this painting in 1503. At this time Mona Lisa was twenty-four year old. Leonardo sold the painting in France to King Francis I., who bought it for the castle in Amboise. In the following time Mona Lisa came to Fontainbleau, Paris, Versailles and then to the collection of Ludwig XIV. After the revolution in France the painting got a new home in the Louvre. Napoleon took it away from there and hung it up in his bedroom. When Napoleon was banished Mona Lisa returned into the great Louvre in Paris. On 21 August 1911 Mona Lisa was stolen from an italian thief, who brought the painting to Italy. An acid attempt damaged the lower half of the painting in 1956. The restauration took several years. In the 60īs and 70īs Mona Lisa was exposed in New York, Tokyo and Moscow. Today the painting is behind bullet-proof glass in Paris in the Louvre and international terms are prohibiting any journey.

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