Mysteries of the Mona Lisa

Without a doubt, one of the world’s most recognizable pieces of art is the Mona Lisa. Painted in the 16th Century by Leonardo da Vinci, it continues to attract crowds of people who are captivated by the mysterious woman in the portrait(肖像）. Her enigmatic smile and penetrating(进入) gaze reach out through the ages as if she were alive today.

1Critics and art lovers still argue about her identity. ①2One theory is is that the way she posed suggests that she was with child. 3Another theory is that the way she posed suggests that she was with child. Another theory argues that her hairless face- no brows or lashes（睫毛） - indicates that she was a prostitute.②4 It seems that in 16th Century Italy women working in the world’s oldest profession had hairless faces in order to make themselves more sexually arousing. There is, however, evidence that at one time the woman in the portrait had thick eyebrows. Perhaps they were inadvertently（不经意地） erased（抹去） when the painting was cleaned. Nobody knows for sure.

The painting itself has an interesting history. With the death of Leonardo, it went to his friend King Francois 1, and then to Louis XV and the Palace of Versailles（凡尔赛宫）. It wasn’t until 300 years after its completion that it was recognized as a masterpiece. For a time, Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte(拿破仑皇帝） hung it in his bedroom. Eventually, it found a permanent home when it was added to the collection of the Louvre in Paris. In 1911 it was stolen by a museum employee and two accomplices. This theft made the painting famous all over the world. During World War II it was taken away and hidden from the Nazis, as were many important works of art.

Today the painting resides at the Louvre（卢浮宫）, captivating（迷人的）  a whole new generation. Whoever she was, the mysteries surrounding the Mona Lisa continue to engage our imaginations.

This article was written to be informative and engaging（有吸引力的）.

prostitution（糟蹋)

To captivate means to attract and hold one’s attention.