Is there a story behind the Mona Lisa picture?

"Mona Lisa is named for Lisa del Giocondo,[8][9] a member of the Gherardini family of Florence and Tuscany and the wife of wealthy Florentine silk merchant Francesco del Giocondo.[7] The painting was commissioned for their new home and to celebrate the birth of their second son, Andrea."-provided by wikipedia.

Leonardo used a pyramid design to place the woman simply and calmly in the space of the painting. Her folded hands form the front corner of the pyramid. Her breast, neck and face glow in the same light that models her hands. The light gives the variety of living surfaces an underlying geometry of spheres and circles. Leonardo referred to a seemingly simple formula for seated female figure: the images of seated Madonna, which were widespread at the time. He effectively modified this formula in order to create the visual impression of distance between the sitter and the observer. The armrest of the chair functions as a dividing element between Mona Lisa and the viewer.

The woman sits markedly upright with her arms folded, which is also a sign of her reserved posture. Only her gaze is fixed on the observer and seems to welcome them to this silent communication. Since the brightly lit face is practically framed with various much darker elements (hair, veil, shadows), the observer's attraction to Mona Lisa's face is brought to even greater extent. Thus, the composition of the figure evokes an ambiguous effect: we are attracted to this mysterious woman but have to stay at a distance as if she were a divine creature. There is no indication of an intimate dialogue between the woman and the observer as is the case in the Portrait of Baldassare Castiglione (Louvre) painted by Raphael about ten years after Mona Lisa, and undoubtedly influenced by Leonardo's portrait. The painting was among the first portraits to depict the sitter before an imaginary landscape. The enigmatic woman is portrayed seated in what appears to be an open loggia with dark pillar bases on either side. Behind her a vast landscape recedes to icy mountains. Winding paths and a distant bridge give only the slightest indications of human presence. The sensuous curves of the woman's hair and clothing, created through sfumato, are echoed in the undulating imaginary valleys and rivers behind her. The blurred outlines, graceful figure, dramatic contrasts of light and dark, and overall feeling of calm are characteristic of Leonardo's style. Due to the expressive synthesis that Leonardo achieved between sitter and landscape it is arguable whether Mona Lisa should be considered as a traditional portrait, for it represents an ideal rather than a real woman. The sense of overall harmony achieved in the painting—especially apparent in the sitter's faint smile—reflects Leonardo's idea of a link connecting humanity and nature.

Mona Lisa has no visible facial hair—including eyebrows and eyelashes. Some researchers claim that it was common at this time for genteel women to pluck them out, since they were considered to be unsightly.[21][22] For modern viewers the missing eyebrows add to the slightly semi-abstract quality of the face.

There are many stories, most of them made up. No one really knows the truth. She is supposed to be the wife of a wealthy Italian, who hired Davinci to paint her portrait. She was consodred one of the most beautiful women of her time. Some say, he fell in love with her, and thus never gave the portrait to the owner, but kept it for himself. Another story is that it is a self portrait disguised as a woman. Da Vinci is assumed to ne a homosexual who never married or had affairs with women, which gives that some feasibility. One fact is that when Francis I of France realized DaVinci's genius, he paid him to come and live in France at his chateau in Amboise (or Blois, I forget) for the rest of his life. DaVinci took that single painting with him, and when he died he gave it to Francis I as a gift. That's why it belongs in France and is in the Louvre.

BTW, she has no eyebrows b/c that was the style in Rennaissance Italy for high born women at the time. Her unusual smile some interpret as her having just found out she is pregnant. The painting is on wood not canvas, and DaVinci used an unusual formula for the varnish which is why it now has a greenish tint after all these centuries. It was a failed experiment.

The story about her looking so sad..... because she married her cousin, who was a drinker, and had problems with impotence, and he beat her...

She is the former Dutchess of Milan....Isabella of Aragon...

I think she's smiling because she's using ben wah balls.