Painted in oil on a white poplar panel, Leonardo never formally gave the painting to the Giocondo family. It is believed to have been created between 1503 and 1506, although Leonardo may have continued to work on it until as late as 1517. After Leonardo’s death in 1519, King Francis I of France acquired the Mona Lisa, and it became the property of the French Republic. Since 1797, it has been displayed at the Louvre in Paris.

The Theft That Sparked Global Fame

The Theft That Sparked Global Fame

The painting’s global fame and popularity were significantly enhanced by its theft in 1911 by Vincenzo Peruggia. He claimed that his actions were motivated by Italian patriotism, believing the painting should belong to Italy. The theft and its subsequent recovery in 1914 generated unprecedented publicity for an art theft, leading to numerous cultural depictions, including the 1915 opera “Mona Lisa,” two early 1930s films (“The Theft of the Mona Lisa” and “Arsène Lupin”), and the iconic song “Mona Lisa,” recorded by Nat King Cole—one of the most successful songs of the 1950s.