This is a survey of the history and significance of Leonardo da Vinci's famous "Mona Lisa" painting, for a general audience. Roy McMullen tells of "the life of Leonardo in relation to this work, presents the serious theories about the painting, and assesses the way in which critical attitudes towards it have changed over the centuries." He also "probes the tantalizing mysteries of the Mona Lisa. Who was its real subject? And why did it take daVinci so many years to complete her portrait? What is the explanation of the elusive Gioconda smile? Or of the strangely devastated landscape in the background, with its intimations of a flood having recently passed through?" and more. - from the jacket notes.
An accessible and appealing book for tourists and art students interested in one of the most famous paintings of all time. With 149 black and white photographic illustrations comparing the Mona Lisa to other works by da Vinci and contemporary and modern artists. ( )