Who is Mona Lisa? She is the portrait of a lady named Lisa. She lived in Florence, Italy, a very long time ago (about 500 years ago). Her husband, a wealthy silk merchant, asked a painter to create her portrait. Why is she so famous? There are three main reasons: - Her smile: We don’t really know if she is smiling or if she is serious. If you look at her eyes, she seems to be smiling. If you look at her mouth, she seems less so. It’s like a little secret between her and us. - Her gaze: No matter where you stand in the room, it feels like she is looking you in the eyes. She seems "alive." - Her hands: They are painted with great softness. At the time, showing hands in this way was very modern. How was it painted? The painter was named Leonardo da Vinci. He was a genius who loved to experiment with everything. - The blur effect: He didn't draw black outlines around her face. He applied very thin layers of paint, like smoke, to make everything look very soft. - The landscape: Behind her, there are mountains and water. It is an imaginary setting that makes it feel like the lady is in a dream. Why is she at the Louvre? Leonardo da Vinci brought the painting with him when he came to work in France for King Francis I. The King loved the painting so much that he bought it. That is why it belongs to France today. It’s a bit like a family photo, but made by the greatest artist in the world! The painting was stolen a few years ago (in 1911), which made it even more famous. About 15,000 to 20,000 people walk past her every day. Each year, an estimated 7 to 8 million people come to admire her smile. There are several reasons why it is difficult to properly view the Mona Lisa painting at the Louvre. Pour plusieurs raisons The artwork is small, measuring approximately 77 x 53 cm. A wooden railing keeps a distance between her and the public. She is protected by a high-tech climate-controlled case. The glass is about 4 cm thick, which unfortunately causes many reflections.

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