667. The Mystery of the Mona Lisa
Summary
This episode explores the history and enduring mystery of the Mona Lisa, examining why it became the world's most famous painting. The hosts discuss Leonardo da Vinci’s sfumato technique, the elusive smile, and various theories about the sitter's identity, including Freud’s and Dan Brown’s claims. They reveal how a 2005 discovery of a 1503 marginal note by Agostino Vespucci conclusively identified the subject as Lisa Gherardini, wife of Francesco del Giocondo.
Topics discussed
Sponsors and introduction to the episode
Walter Pater's description of the Mona Lisa
The difficulty of reproducing the painting
Sfumato technique and the mystery of the smile
Leonardo da Vinci's life and career in Florence and Milan
Vasari's account and the identity of Lisa Gherardini
The life and marriage of Lisa Gherardini
Alternative theories on the subject's identity
The 1968 discovery confirming Lisa's identity
The 1503 Vespucci note and early fame
Leonardo takes the painting to France
19th-century Romanticism and the painting's rise
The 1911 theft and global media sensation
Modern pop culture status and future museum plans
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