Five centuries after Leonardo da Vinci created the Mona Lisa, people flock to the Louvre Museum in Paris just to catch a glimpse of her. Behind bulletproof glass, this woman’s portrait is so alluring that it has millions of visitors every year. It is believed that the subject of the portrait was Lisa Gherardini, wife of a wealthy silk merchant in Florence Italy named Francesco del Giocondo, hence the Mona Lisa is also known as La Gioconda.

Her mysterious smile is the common explanation given for her allure, but is there more to the story? [Read more…]