What is the Mona Lisa?

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There’s a good chance you’ve heard about (or maybe even seen) the Mona Lisa – many people would agree that it’s one of the most famous paintings in the world!

The Mona Lisa is an oil painting that was painted by the artist Leonardo da Vinci during the 1500’s. The painting features a woman, and one of the most well-known things about the picture is that her expression is hard to figure out – many people believe she is frowning while others say she is smiling! This is part of what has earned the painting its fame. The painting is also famous because of the way it’s painted; the special shading technique used by da Vinci is said to have changed the way many artists painted portraits.

Even though it is over 500 years old, the Mona Lisa is on display in France at the Louvre museum. It’s estimated worth is over $500 million, but most people would actually agree that it’s really “priceless,” meaning its importance is worth more than any actual amount of money!

Become a famous painter!

Have a grown-up help you find a picture in a book or online of the Mona Lisa. Study the picture closely and think about some of the things that make it beautiful or interesting.

Try drawing or painting your own portrait using the things you’ve noticed about the Mona Lisa! Pick a subject for your picture such as a family member or even someone from a photograph, and then decide on the things about your subject that should be in your portrait. How and why did you pick each of these qualities??