The French government legally owns the original Mona Lisa painting by Leonardo da Vinci. It is part of the French national collections and is on permanent display at the Louvre Museum in Paris.
King Francis I of France acquired the Mona Lisa after Leonardo's death in 1519, and it became the property of the French Republic. It has normally been on display at the Louvre in Paris since 1797.
So here are some fun, fascinating and even surprising facts about the Mona Lisa! Leonardo Da Vinci painted the Mona Lisa from 1503 to 1506, but was considered incomplete by Da Vinci until 1516. Da Vinci was never paid for the painting and it never made it to it's intended client.
The Mona Lisa is a particularly fragile work and can no longer travel outside the Louvre.
The $450 million painting, Leonardo da Vinci's Salvator Mundi, was bought in 2017 by Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, though the purchase was made through an intermediary, Prince Badr bin Abdullah bin Mohammed bin Farhan Al Saud, acting as a proxy for the Kingdom. It became the most expensive artwork ever sold at auction, intended for the Louvre Abu Dhabi but its current location remains unknown, according to reports.
When Leonardo died in 1519, he had a bank fortune in Florence of 400 florins (1.5kg of gold). That is strikingly little, if this sum is held against the annual incomes of Leonardo. Because already in his Milan time he received according to traditional statement an annual wage of 2000 Florin (7kg gold).
So, how much is the Mona Lisa worth? While the price tag associated with it is hard to calculate, considering it is deemed priceless; the estimated cost for the Mona Lisa price is approximately $860 Million.
Announced by French President Emmanuel Macron, the relocation is a key element of the New Renaissance initiative, designed to alleviate the growing challenges of overcrowding, while modernising the museum's infrastructure.
French law prohibits entities like the Louvre from insuring its property, except when part of a collection is moved or loaned to another institution, Romain Déchelette, president of France-based Serex Assurances, a fine art insurer, told CBS News.
While Leonardo da Vinci never married and was accused of sodomy in his youth (though charges were dropped), most scholars believe he was likely gay or bisexual, evidenced by his intense relationships with male apprentices like Salai, his focus on male beauty in art, and his lifelong pattern of close male companionship, though the concept of "gay" as a modern identity didn't exist then, notes.
Isabella Stewart Gardner Theft
To this day, the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum heist remains the largest unsolved art theft in history.
If you look closely at the painting of Mona Lisa, you will realize that her eyebrows are missing. Many corroborated it to the fact that it is an unfinished painting and thus the eyebrows were never painted.
Leonardo da Vinci's work on the Mona Lisa spanned about 15 years, reflecting his meticulous approach to art. He continued to refine and experiment with the painting until his death in 1519, believing it was still a work in progress.
Leonardo da Vinci: IQ 180–220
While IQ tests weren't around when Leonardo da Vinci was living, some have estimated that his score would have been between 180 and 220. Like other people considered geniuses, he had a wide range of skills, excelling in everything from art and science to music and architecture.
Mary Magdalene *might* be buried under the Louvre
In the book, Brown alleges that the remains of Mary Magdalene are located under the Louvre, right under the peak of the 'inverted pyramid'- which can be found in the Louvre's underground shopping centre. Whether this claim is true remains uncertain.
Items stolen
The items were identified by the Ministry of Culture as: The tiara, necklace and an earring from the sapphire set of Queen Marie-Amalie and Queen Hortense. The emerald necklace and a pair of emerald earrings from the Empress Marie Louise set.
From January 14, 2026, an individual ticket for visitors from outside the European Economic Area (EEA) — a grouping of nations that comprises the European Union member states plus Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway — will cost 32 euros ($37), a spokesperson for the Louvre told CNN on Friday.
A New Home for the Mona Lisa in the Louvre. The Mona Lisa is about to have a space of her own. In early 2025, French President Emmanuel Macron announced that the Mona Lisa at the Louvre will be relocated to a specially designed room within the museum.
Salvator Mundi by Leonardo da Vinci
Salvator Mundi, translated to “Savior of the World,” is not only the world's most expensive painting—it's possibly the most controversial painting, as well.
Da Vinci reportedly worked for the king until an arm injury, likely caused by a stroke, left him unable to paint after 1517. He died in 1519. Either da Vinci himself or the executors of his estate sold the Mona Lisa to King Francis I for 4,000 gold ducats, equivalent to approximately £600,000 in today's money.
The most famous paintings of all time