Da Leonardo da Vinci (XIX) - La Gioconda

nineteenth century
The Gioconda
Oil on panel, 74 x 50 cm
With frame, 106 x 76 cm

A painting that has always been shrouded in mystery, it is still one of the best-known masterpieces in the world today.
According to what Vasari said, in 1503 Leonardo received a commission from Francesco del Giocondo, a Florentine silk merchant who asked him to paint a portrait of his wife Lisa Gherardini (hence the two names by which she is known) . Leonardo, trying to perfect the work, took it with him to France, when, in 1516, he was called by King Francis I of France to become a court painter.
After his death it almost immediately entered the collections of the French sovereigns, moving to the Louvre in 1665, then to Versailles in the private gallery of Louis XIV and then, after the French Revolution of 1797, returning to the Louvre.
Napoleon also particularly loved the painting, so much so that he moved it to the Tuileries Palace for a certain period of time to decorate Josephine's room. Between 1804 – 1805 he returned to the Louvre permanently.
The Mona Lisa was the protagonist of one of the most sensational art thefts in history, the media outcry of which contributed to making the painting among the best known in the world and the Louvre the most visited museum in the world. On August 21, 1911, the painting mysteriously disappeared from the Louvre Museum in Paris, sparking an international investigation that lasted two years. The thief, Vincenzo Peruggia, an Italian house painter who was working at the Louvre at the time, was convinced that the Mona Lisa had been unjustly stolen from Italy by Napoleon Bonaparte. His plan was simple: hide in a museum closet during the night, and the following morning, taking advantage of the museum's closure, steal the painting and bring it back to his homeland. The discovery of the theft shocked the art world. French police launched an intensive investigation, which initially focused on possible accomplices inside the Louvre. Hundreds of people were interrogated, including artists, collectors and art dealers, including Apollinaire and Picasso. Two years later, in December 1913, the Mona Lisa was found in Florence, in a hotel where Vincenzo Peruggia was staying. The thief, who had tried to sell it to an antiques dealer, was arrested and sentenced to one year and seven months in prison. Before returning to France the work was exhibited for a short period in Italy.

The frame is provided free of charge, therefore it cannot be a reason for return or complaint.

For paintings purchased abroad: after payment the procedure to obtain the export license (ALC) will be started. All antiques sent abroad from Italy need this document, issued by the Ministry of Cultural Heritage. The procedure could take 3 to 5 weeks from the request, therefore, as soon as we have the document the painting will be sent.