Speculations about Mona Lisa Speculations about Mona Lisa The 16th-century portrait Mona Lisa, or "La Gioconda" ("La Joconde"), painted in oil on a poplar panel by Leonardo da Vinci, has been the subject of a considerable deal of speculation. It has for a long time been argued that after Leonardo's death the painting was cut down by having part of the panel at both sides removed. Early copies depict columns on both sides of the figure. Only the edges of the bases can be seen in the original. However, some art historians, such as Martin Kemp, now argue that the painting has not been
Mona Lisa replicas and reinterpretations represented in the original "Mona Lisa". Joos van Cleve, a Flemish artist active in the years following "Mona Lisa"'s creation, also painted a nude titled "Mona Vanna". Though the figure portrayed in van Cleve's painting bears no resemblance to Leonardo's "Mona Lisa", the artist was known to mimic themes and techniques of Leonardo da Vinci, in this case the positioning of the figure and the delicate brushwork reminiscent of Leonardo's sfumato. The artwork, dating to the mid-16th century, is in the collection of the National Gallery, Prague. By the 20th century, "Mona Lisa" had already been a victim of satirical