Who painted Mona Lisa?

Mona Lisa was painted by Unknown in 1511.

Where can I see Mona Lisa?

Mona Lisa is held by Museo del Prado.

What movement is Mona Lisa?

Mona Lisa is associated with High Renaissance.

Artwork

Mona Lisa

Unknown , 1511

Mona Lisa is an oil painting by the High Renaissance artist Unknown. It dates from 1511 and is held in the collection of the Museo del Prado.

About this work

Overview

The Prado Mona Lisa is an oil painting that mirrors Leonardo da Vinci’s famous portrait in composition and subject. Housed in Madrid’s Museo del Prado since 1819, the work was long dismissed as a minor copy until scientific analysis and restoration in 2012 revealed it to be the earliest known studio replica of Leonardo’s original.

Subject & Meaning

The canvas presents a seated woman with dark, flowing hair, her hands gently folded, and a faint smile on her lips. She wears a dark gown trimmed with a light collar and red sleeves, set against a distant, rocky landscape that includes mountains, a river, and a winding road, suggesting a serene, timeless presence.

Technique & Style

Executed with the soft gradations characteristic of Leonardo’s workshop, the painting employs delicate chiaroscuro to model the figure’s skin and garments, giving them a three‑dimensional quality. The atmospheric background recedes through muted tones, reinforcing the sitter’s calm demeanor.

History & Provenance

Acquired by the Prado in 1819, the work was traditionally regarded as a lesser copy. Restoration work in 2012, combined with technical imaging, re‑dated the piece to the early 1500s, establishing it as a contemporaneous studio copy likely produced alongside Leonardo’s own version.

Context

Among Leonardo’s pupils, the Italian assistants Salaì and Francesco Melzi are considered the most probable creators, though some scholars suggest a Spanish student of the master may have painted it. The portrait belongs to a broader tradition of 16th‑ and 17th‑century copies that circulated throughout Europe.