da Vinci

Mona Lisa (ca. 1503-1506)

Leonardo da Vinci was the arche-typal example of the Renaissance ideal: the uomo universale. He enga-ged in almost every art and science from painting to composition and from philosophy to chemistry.

The Mona Lisa is believed to be a portrait of Lisa Gherardini. Her enigmatic expression and the monu-mentality of the composition have contributed to the fascination of the work.