Leonardo da Vinci

(1452 - 1519)

 

Leonardo rose from humble beginnings to become one of the most famous

figures not only of the Renaissance but of art history itself. He didn't finish as many works as other artists, but his endless struggle for perfection brought us some of the greatest achievements we've ever known.

 

Mona Lisa has been stolen, a victim to multiple attacks,

and now rests behind a bulletproof glass at the Louvre.

Has the highest insurance value for a painting $970m.

 

A French king paid a fortune for her. An emperor coveted her. Poets lauded

her. Singers crooned about her. Advertisers exploited her. And each year,

millions of people queue to see her enigmatic smile.