Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa Puzzle – 1000 Pieces

The subject of the Mona Lisa puzzle is undoubtedly the most famous, most loved and most discussed painting in the world.
The identity of the woman depicted remains a mystery to this day: the name Gioconda derives from Vasari ‘s statement that the painting reproduces the features of Lisa Gherardini , wife of Francesco del Giocondo and a member of the merchant bourgeoisie of Florence.

This Lisa, at the time the painting was made (between 1503 and 1505), would have been around 25 years old: she was in fact born in 1479. This is precisely the apparent age of the lady in the portrait.
However, Vasari’s indication does not agree with the letter of Antonio de Beatis , who visited Leonardo in Amboise, saw the painting at his house (it was later purchased by Francis I of France) and reported that it was a Florentine woman, loved by Giuliano de’ Medici, the third son of the Magnificent.
It was concluded that he left the portrait to the master upon his wedding to Filiberta of Savoy, so as not to make his bride jealous (but this wedding only took place in 1515).

Proposals for new identifications continue to this day: the imitations (and disguises) are innumerable.
A Giocondolatry and a Giocondoclasm were born: that is, adoration and desecration of the painting. Of the latter, the most striking examples are the various nude Mona Lisas, while the most illustrious example of imitation is perhaps Raphael’s Maddalena Strozzi, up to Duchamp’s Dada LHOOQ of 1919.

The Mona Lisa is so universally known and admired that I was very tempted to use it to create a scandal. I tried to make that mustache truly artistic.