Mona Lisa at the Louvre

This posting isn't a great image of the Mona Lisa, but says a lot about the popularity of the famous portrait. Recently, I visited the Louvre and upon entering the room where the painting is displayed, I was surprised to see the large crowd gathered around the glass enclosed portrait. I wasn't interested in fighting the crowd. I found it more interesting to photograph the people vying for a closer look.

Mona Lisa (also known as La Gioconda) is a 16th century portrait painted in oil on a poplar panel by Leonardo da Vinci during the Italian Renaissance. The work is owned by the Government of France and is on the wall in the Louvre in Paris, France with the title Portrait of Lisa Gherardini, wife of Francesco del Giocondo.

The painting is a half-length portrait and depicts a woman whose expression is often described as enigmatic. The ambiguity of the sitter's expression, the monumentality of the half-figure composition, and the subtle modeling of forms and atmospheric illusionism were novel qualities that have contributed to the painting's continuing fascination. Few other works of art have been subject to as much scrutiny, study, mythologizing, and parody. (provided by Wikipedia)