Leonardo da Vinci’s painting housed in the Louvre and widely known as the Mona Lisa is La Gioconda.
The work is also called La Joconde in French. It is generally identified as a portrait of Lisa Gherardini, the Florentine wife of the merchant Francesco del Giocondo, although aspects of its commission and identification have been debated by scholars.
Leonardo worked on the portrait over an extended period, probably beginning around 1503 and retaining it for years. The painting became especially famous after it was stolen from the Louvre in 1911 and recovered in 1913. That theft transformed it into a global cultural icon.
“Mona Lisa” is the English title, while “La Gioconda” reflects the sitter’s married name. The painting’s enigmatic expression, atmospheric landscape, and subtle sfumato technique are central to its reputation.