Leonardo da Vinci began painting the Mona Lisa about 1503, and it was in his studio when he died in 1519. He likely worked on it intermittently over several years, adding multiple layers of thin oil glazes at different times.
The Mona Lisa was painted by Leonardo da Vinci and is believed to be a portrait of Lisa Gherardini, the wife of Francesco Giocondo. ... The painting uses a number of unique art techniques to draw the viewer in; Leonardo's skill is sometimes referred to as the Mona Lisa Effect.
