The video explores the enigmatic Mona Lisa, the most famous painting in the world, created by Leonardo da Vinci. The painting's subject, Lisa del Giocondo, was the wife of a wealthy merchant, and Leonardo worked on the painting for over 16 years, infusing it with his innovative techniques, including sfumato and optical tricks.
The video delves into the painting's history, including its theft in 1911 by Vincenzo Perugia, who believed he was returning it to its rightful home in Italy. The theft captivated the world and made the Mona Lisa a national treasure.
The video also examines the painting's enduring fame, attributing it to Leonardo's innovative techniques, the story of its theft, and its ability to evoke emotions and thoughts in the viewer. The Mona Lisa's "superpower" is her ability to be anyone the viewer wants her to be, thinking whatever they want her to think.
The video concludes that the Mona Lisa's fame is not just due to its artistic value but also to its cultural significance, and that it would still be famous even if it had never been stolen.
1. The most expensive painting sold at auction is Salvatore Mundi by Leonardo da Vinci, sold for $450 million in 2017.
2. The Mona Lisa was painted by Leonardo da Vinci in 1503.
3. The painting is a portrait of Lisa del Giocondo, a 24-year-old wife of a wealthy silk merchant.
4. Leonardo da Vinci worked on the painting until his death.
5. The painting features Lisa del Giocondo sitting in an armchair, turning her body to the side, and staring directly at the viewer.
6. The painting's background is a Tuscan landscape, likely inspired by the real world but ultimately a figment of Leonardo's imagination.
7. Leonardo da Vinci used a technique called sfumato to create a soft, hazy effect in the painting.
8. The painting's colors have yellowed over time due to the varnish covering it.
9. The Mona Lisa has no eyelashes or eyebrows, but she originally did; they faded with time due to over-cleaning.
10. George Vasari wrote about the painting in his 1550 book, describing the subject's eyes and eyebrows.
11. Leonardo da Vinci was a scientist and inventor, and his notebooks contain sketches and writings about physics, engineering, and science.
12. The Mona Lisa was acquired by King Francis I of France after Leonardo's death in 1519.
13. The painting became part of the royal collection and was displayed at the Louvre in Paris.
14. The Mona Lisa was stolen from the Louvre in 1911 by Vincenzo Perugia, an Italian nationalist who believed the painting belonged in Italy.
15. Perugia was arrested and served 12 and a half months in prison.
16. The Mona Lisa was recovered in 1913 and returned to the Louvre.
17. The painting's fame increased significantly after the theft, and it became a national treasure.
18. The Mona Lisa is seen by over 8 million people each year at the Louvre, but visitors typically spend only 15 seconds looking at the painting.