• News
  • Film and TV
  • Music
  • Tech
  • Features
  • Celebrity
  • Politics
  • Weird
  • Community
  • Advertise
  • Terms
  • Privacy & Cookies
  • LADbible Group
  • LADbible
  • SPORTbible
  • GAMINGbible
  • Tyla
  • UNILAD Tech
  • FOODbible
  • License Our Content
  • About Us & Contact
  • Jobs
  • Latest
  • Topics A-Z
  • Authors
Facebook
Instagram
X
Threads
TikTok
YouTube
Submit Your Content
The reason why the Mona Lisa is so famous

Home> News

Published 15:35 5 Sep 2022 GMT+1

The reason why the Mona Lisa is so famous

Leonardo Da Vinci painted the Mona Lisa between 1503 and 1519

Anish Vij

Anish Vij

Leonardo Da Vinci's Mona Lisa is arguably the most famous painting in the world and there's definitely more than one reason why.

On the face of things, it's just a small painting of a random woman, right?

And if you want to have a look at it in person, the portrait itself is visibly hidden behind bulletproof glass - so what makes it so special?

Advert

While there might not be one specific reason why good ol' Lisa is so popular, there is one theory which seems to come up more than the rest.

Watch below:

Da Vinci was believed to have painted the portrait between 1503 and 1519.

However, Mona Lisa first grabbed worldwide attention when it was stolen in 1911.

Advert

Believe it or not, Pablo Picasso was even arrested as a suspect because he was apparently mates with another suspect, Guillaume Apollinaire, who brought him up to police while being interrogated.

As mentioned above by Sherif ElSahly: "After two years, it was finally located and everyone wanted to see this famous stolen painting."

An art dealer in Florence managed to alert the local authorities of a man who had contacted him about selling it and the painting was returned.

Leonardo Da Vinci's Mona Lisa is arguably the most famous painting in the world.
GL Archive / Alamy Stock Photo

Advert

However, as WWI and WWII started to dominate the news, it was argued that the painting's popularity had stunted, as people, quite frankly, had bigger things to worry about.

Although, after the painting was shown in the United States in 1963 and then Japan in 1974, the Mona Lisa had reached an even higher status.

During a six-week stay in the US, around 40,000 people a day went to the Metropolitan Museum in New York City and the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C for a visit.

And this year, a man decided to hurl cake at the painting before being led away by security.
Twitter/@aresrebis

Advert

In 2009, a Russian woman decided to chuck a ceramic cup at the painting but due to the bulletproof glass, Mona was not damaged.

And more recently, the painting was yet again the centre of attention earlier this year after a man hurled cake at it before being escorted from the Louvre by security.

Thankfully, the glass casing, which has been in place since 1956's acid attack, was able to save it from any damage.

As the culprit was being escorted out of the Louvre, the French-speaking man says: "Think of the earth, artists think of the earth. All artists think of the earth. That's why I did it.

Advert

"Think of the planet."

If you have a story you want to tell, send it to UNILAD via [email protected]  

Featured Image Credit: AFF/Christian Offenberg/Alamy Stock Photo

Topics: Art

Anish Vij
Anish Vij

Anish is a Journalist at LADbible Group and is a GG2 Young Journalist of the Year 2024 finalist. He has a Master's degree in Multimedia Journalism and a Bachelor's degree in International Business Management. Apart from that, his life revolves around the ‘Four F’s’ - family, friends, football and food. Email: [email protected]

X

@Anish_Vij

Advert

Advert

Advert

Choose your content:

7 hours ago
8 hours ago
  • Getty Images/agrobacter
    7 hours ago

    Scientists discover breakthrough 'cure' for hair loss which takes just 20 days

    If testing is successful, it could be sold as a skincare product

    News
  • CNN
    7 hours ago

    Obama praised for 'smooth' way he dealt with heckler at rally

    The former president was supporting a Democratic hopeful at a rally

    News
  • Getty Images/Scott Olson/Getty Images/Andrew Harnik
    8 hours ago

    Eye-opening poll reveals whether Americans prefer Obama or Trump as president

    The insight comes ahead of gubernatorial elections on Tuesday

    News
  • Getty Images/Andrew Harnik
    8 hours ago

    People extremely concerned after Trump blasts Seth Meyers for being 'illegally anti-Trump'

    Seth Meyers ridiculed President Donald Trump's tour of Asia, and it's fair to say the Republican wasn't best pleased

    News
  • Famous physicist Brian Cox reveals what he thinks about people who say the Earth is flat
  • Jeff Bezos says brutal ‘drenched sheets’ test for Amazon employees is reason why business is so successful
  • The real reason why Santa wears red may surprise you as it's not all linked to Coca-Cola
  • The reason why the US presidential election is always held on Tuesdays