Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa is the most famous painting in the world. 500 years old and just 77x53cm in size, it is kept behind bulletproof glass in the Louvre museum in Paris, where it draws 10 million visitors a year. But how did a small portrait find global fame? Who is the woman in the painting, and why is the world so intrigued by her smile?
This is a Short History Of the Mona Lisa.
Written by Nicola Rayner. With thanks to Donald Sassoon, historian and the author of Mona Lisa: The History of the World’s Most Famous Painting.
For ad-free listening, exclusive content and early access to new episodes, join Noiser+. Now available for Apple and Android users. Click the Noiser+ banner on Apple or go to noiser.com/subscriptions to get started with a 7-day free trial.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices