The Mona Lisa is quite possibly the most well-known piece of painted artwork in the entire world. It was painted by the Leonardo da Vinci in the early 16th century and was commissioned by Francesco Del Giocondo. The subject of the painting is his wife, Lisa, who was born to a well-known family from Tuscany. Her husband was a very wealthy silk merchant. The work was commissioned to celebrate the completion of their home and the birth of their second son. It was only in 2005 that the identity of Mona Lisa‘s subject was finally agreed upon by historians. Read more →