Ecole italienne, d'après Léonard de Vinci: 'Mona Lisa', huile sur toile, datée 1839

Dim.: 94 x 74 cm (the frame)
Dim.: 75 x 55 cm (the work)

Condition: (UV-checked)
- Generally in good, hangable condition.
- Superficial crackling and crazing throughout.
- A few small sections of inpainting to small losses throughout.

Monogrammed J.D. and dated 1839 on the back.

Provenance:
- The collection of a passionate restorer in the north of France.
- Thence by descent to the current owner in Belgium.

This image, among the most recognizable in the world, finds its source in Leonardo da Vinci's iconic portrait in the Louvre, The Mona Lisa, thought to depict Lisa Gherardini, the wife of the Florentine silk merchant Francesco Giocondo. An old label on the back also bears this in writing.

Although the modern-day fame surrounding the Mona Lisa today did not arise until the twentieth century, the painting long served as an illustrious model of the Renaissance ideal from a very early age. The numerous copies made after it are a testament to its timeless appeal. Some of the earliest known copies include the panel in the Prado museum, which is thought to have arisen in Leonardo's workshop. Some copies, like the version in the Walters Art Museum in Baltimore, record the vestigial columns that were removed from the original composition at an early stage. Another example can be found in the Walker Art Gallery in Liverpool.