TheOldMastersPrintsMona Lisa by Leonardo da Vinci: meaning, location and key facts
Mona Lisa is an oil on poplar panel by Leonardo da Vinci, painted between about 1503 and 1519. It measures 79.4 × 53.4 cm and is held at the Louvre, Paris.
Key facts
| Artist | Leonardo da Vinci |
|---|---|
| Date | c. 1503–1519 |
| Medium | Oil on poplar panel |
| Dimensions | 79.4 × 53.4 cm (height × width) |
| Museum | Louvre, Paris |
| Style | Renaissance |
| Data source | Wikidata (Q12418) · Wikipedia |
What it shows
It is the portrait of Lisa Gherardini, wife of the Florentine merchant Francesco del Giocondo, which explains both of its names: La Gioconda and Mona Lisa (“mona” is short for madonna, “my lady”). She sits half-length in a loggia, hands folded, looking straight at the viewer.
Behind her opens an imaginary landscape of winding paths, a bridge and misty mountains, with the horizon at a different height on each side. Leonardo blends outlines and shadows with sfumato, ultra-thin layers of paint that make the smile seem to change depending on where you look.
Did you know?
- Leonardo never delivered it to the client: he kept retouching it for years and took it with him to France, where it entered the royal collection.
- In 1911 it was stolen from the Louvre by Vincenzo Peruggia, an Italian handyman; it resurfaced in Florence in 1913, and the theft made it the most famous painting in the world.
- It measures only 79 × 53 cm, far smaller than most visitors expect, and hangs behind security glass in the Louvre’s Salle des États.
Where to see the original
Mona Lisa is at the Louvre, Paris. Works are sometimes lent to exhibitions or taken down for restoration, so it is worth checking the museum’s website before you go.
Which print size to choose
The print keeps the proportions of the original: if they differ from the paper, the painting is centred with a white border and never cropped. More details in our size guide.
| A4 (21 × 29.7 cm) | shelves, desks and gallery walls |
|---|---|
| A3 (29.7 × 42 cm) | bedrooms, hallways and small walls |
| A2 (42 × 59.4 cm) | above a sideboard, chest of drawers or headboard |
| A1 (59.4 × 84.1 cm) | above the sofa or as a living-room centrepiece |
Prints are made to order in the Czech Republic and reach the EU in 3 to 8 days, with no customs. Canvases are made in the USA and take about 2 to 3 weeks, with EU VAT included in the price.
Frequently asked questions
- Where is Mona Lisa?
- The original is held at the Louvre, Paris.
- How big is Mona Lisa?
- The original painting measures 79.4 × 53.4 cm (height × width).
- Who painted Mona Lisa and when?
- It was painted by Leonardo da Vinci between about 1503 and 1519.
- Can I hang a reproduction of Mona Lisa at home?
- Yes. The work is in the public domain, so it can be freely reproduced. We offer it as a matte print in A4, A3, A2, A1 (from €18.99) and as a ready-to-hang canvas (from €64.99), with free shipping to the EU.
Updated 21 October 2026. Spotted a mistake? Message us through the shop and we will fix it.
