All about the Mona Lisa: The very famous painting done by Leonardo da Vinci

The Mona Lisa is a half-length portrait of a woman, which is one of the most famous paintings of all history in the world.

The painting is thought to be a portrait of a lady called Lisa Gherardini, the wife of Francesco del Giocondo. It was painted with faint oil paints and is believed to have been painted between 1503 and 1506, although da Vinci may have continued working on it as late as 1517. It is now the property of the French Republic and is on permanent display at The Louvre museum in Paris, since the year of 1797. 

Its fame in the world:

Visitors spend about 15 seconds viewing the Mona Lisa. Until the 20th century, it was not confirmed as the most famous painting. In 1878, the Baedeker guide called it "the most celebrated work of Leonardo in the Louvre". Between 1851 and 1880, many artists who visited the Louvre copied Mona Lisa.

From December 1962 to March 1963, the French government lent it to the United States to be displayed in New York City and Washington, D.C. In 1974, the painting was exhibited in Tokyo and Moscow and then returned back to the Louvre.

Its massive value:

It is believed that Francis I bought Mona Lisa in 1504 or 1506 for $9,200 (before the Mona Lisa was officially finished). 

Before the 1962–1963 tour, the painting's insurance was $100 million, however the insurance was not bought. In 2012, it's value was approximately $760 million, which made it the most expensive value of a painting, ever.