The Mona Lisa (painted by Leonardo Da Vinçi)

*The Mona Lisa (painted by Leonardo Da Vinçi) is one of the most valuable artworks in the world. It holds the Guinness World Record for the highest known insurance valuation in history at US$100 million in 1962 (equivalent to $660 million in 2019).

*It had been believed to have been painted between 1503 and 1506; however, Leonardo may have continued working on it as late as 1517.

*The painting is likely of the Italian noblewoman Lisa Gherardini, the wife of Francesco del Giocondo.

*It was acquired by King Francis I of France and became part of royal collection (because Da Vinçi spent the latter part of his life painting for the royal family). But after the REVOLUTION, it is now the property of the French Republic itself, on permanent display at the Louvre Museum in Paris since 1797

*It was stolen on August 22, 1911. The museum director resigned. Two years later, it was recovered from from Italy after an art dealer in Florence alerted the local authorities that a man had contacted him about selling it.

To be continued....