The Mona Lisa

Posted by: Jaksyn Peacock

How the world’s most famous painting became so popular.

Pre-listening vocabulary

• employee: a person who is paid to work for a person or company
• display: to show something in public
• vandal: a person who destroys property
• replicate: to make a copy of something

Listening activity

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:35 — 1.5MB)

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Gapfill exercise

The Mona Lisa is considered the most famous painting in the world. The piece was painted by Italian Leonardo da Vinci. It is currently displayed in the Louvre, a famous art museum in Paris, France. The painting gained international attention when it was from the museum in 1911. It was missing for two years before a former Louvre employee named Vincenzo Peruggia was caught trying to sell the painting. Peruggia had stolen the painting because he believed that it should belong in an Italian museum, rather than a French one. After Peruggia’s arrest, the Mona Lisa was returned to the Louvre. However, the Mona Lisa’s fame many vandals. In 1956, a vandal threw acid at the painting, causing damage. It is now kept behind bulletproof glass to it from any acts of vandalism. The Mona Lisa is also one of the most commonly replicated paintings. Since 1911, many artists have tried to recreate the Mona Lisa, and a few older exist that may have been painted by da Vinci’s students.

Comprehension questions

1. The Mona Lisa is displayed in a museum in

France

Italy

England

Correct! Wrong!

The Mona Lisa is displayed in a museum in France.

2. The Mona Lisa became famous because

a vandal threw acid at it

it was stolen in 1911

a famous artist replicated it

Correct! Wrong!

The Mona Lisa became famous because it was stolen in 1911.

3. The older copies of the Mona Lisa may have been painted by

Leonardo da Vinci

Vincenzo Peruggia

da Vinci's students

Correct! Wrong!

The older copies of the Mona Lisa may have been painted by da Vinci's students.

Discussion/essay questions

1. The Mona Lisa’s fame came from the 1911 theft. If Vincenzo Peruggia had stolen a different painting, do you think that painting would have the same popularity that the Mona Lisa has today?

Transcript

The Mona Lisa is considered the most famous painting in the world. The piece was painted by Italian artist Leonardo da Vinci. It is currently displayed in the Louvre, a famous art museum in Paris, France. The painting gained international attention when it was stolen from the museum in 1911. It was missing for two years before a former Louvre employee named Vincenzo Peruggia was caught trying to sell the painting. Peruggia had stolen the painting because he believed that it should belong in an Italian museum, rather than a French one. After Peruggia’s arrest, the Mona Lisa was returned to the Louvre. However, the Mona Lisa’s fame attracted many vandals. In 1956, a vandal threw acid at the painting, causing damage. It is now kept behind bulletproof glass to protect it from any acts of vandalism. The Mona Lisa is also one of the most commonly replicated paintings. Since 1911, many artists have tried to recreate the Mona Lisa, and a few older copies exist that may have been painted by da Vinci’s students.

Written and recorded by Jaksyn Peacock for EnglishClub

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54 comments

• Geronimo Gabboadini says:
  

  It’s easy, really

• Tua madre says:
  

  It’s easy, really

• Tua madre says:
  

  It’s easy

• Christopher Pearson says:
  

  Gapfill answers for above exercise:

  AI and Grum conscious using a (MC) man 1941.

  A recreation was stolen.

  3 people.

  Not to see the truth it is a fraud, not the original.

  3 to 500 ‘they had talked to many men to paint for them from spaceship’.

  6 students painted for them, maybe 7 ‘a little fraud/frog in the wind’.

• Caridadgomo says:
  

  i like that painting

• Sergei says:
  

  Excellent!

• Julie says:
  

  Keep it movin’ like my lease up
  Think you fly, boy, where your visa?
  Mona Lisa kinda Lisa
  Needs an ice cream man that treats her

• Jcpl says:
  

  The Mona Lisa, better known as La Gioconda, was a painting painted by Da Vinci between 1503 and 1519, and later acquired by King Francisco I. It is currently believed to represent the wife of Francesco Bartolomeo de Giocondo, whose real name was Lisa Gherardini.

• sayedmurtaza says:
  

  it is very interesting story.

• Melissa marqués Ramírez says:
  

  The mona lisa Is considered the most famous painting in the world

• Anwar says:
  

  Nice exercise!!!

• Chen says:
  

  I like it so much. Thanks a lot!
  Why don’t we have more exercises? i want more difficult.

• ayelin osuna says:
  

  yeah

• Augusto says:
  

  Good topic, thanks

• Brenda Pool says:
  

  Teacher, it´s to easy

• brian flota says:
  

  es todo teacher

• Ahmed Ali says:
  

  It is so easy, I want more difficult

• simma says:
  

  this is so helpful with me! thanks englishclub so so much!

• Tania Garcia says:
  

  I really liked this lesson.

• Luna says:
  

  I love art, Leonardo Da Vinci is just an admirable artist and person.

• felipe says:
  

  I like a lot the exercise, thaks so much

• Nguyễn Phương Linh says:
  

  This text is very usefull. It makes me udersantand about history of pictures.

• Erna Cyril Chery says:
  

  I like this text because i know so much vocabulary .thank you think you,.

• Federico says:
  

  I like estudy

• ali can says:
  

  It is very wonderful

• marwan mohamed says:
  

  it Drawing such painting was a fantastic script which took me to high imagination of Drawing such painting

• Jenny says:
  

  thank you englishclub

• Cream says:
  

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• Safaa abdel gader says:
  

  I didi my exam

• Safaa abdel gader says:
  

  I did my exam

• bouchaib ziadi says:
  

  im very lucky you are the best

• Safaa abdel gader says:
  

  I did my exam

• Ivan Benakovic says:
  

  tt

• Luka Pleli says:
  

  Nois

• Alex says:
  

  Hello? everybody.
  Mona Lysa is popular because of spreading information in newspaper and mass media after it was stolen in Louvre. Therefore today coronavirus is very popular due to mass media also.

• Luis says:
  

  The story was great. Thanks

• mojgan says:
  

  Hey , Mona Lisa is famous because the painting is so pretty and Mona’s face is so simple and pretty that you think you can feel her kindness and make connection with her . Drawing such painting with that time’s equipment is really a master piece .

• Vijay Kumari says:
  

  The Monalisa painting is worldwide famous due to her smile.Watch portrait from any angle you will see her smiling in the same way which is a unique thing .Salute to the Leonardo da Vinci.

• Giyas Ayberk says:
  

  The Mona Lisa is famous because it was performed by Leonardo da Vinci.

• Serdar says:
  

  Thank you very much indeed.

• Thủy Tiên says:
  

  It is very useful for me => Thanks

• Paulo says:
  

  I have been visited Paris the last four years. I visited Louvre twice . Really Mona Lisa painted is fantastic piece.
  Another way, I’d like to say that I am loving receive this kind of exercise from you. the same time I have opportunity to improve my English and know a little more about history .

• Jorge says:
  

  The painting by itself is important. The fact that was stolen, it’s just simply anecdotic. I disagree pon that. Moreover, it is believed that the painting curre toy exhibited, is a copy.

• Nevardo Flórez says:
  

  Regarding to the questions i don’t think that the Mona Lisa’s painting be famous just because a thief stolen in 1911, instead is because it’s truly work of art. This event maybe caused that authorities were careful and really recognise its value as a piece or art.

• Mirta Bertín says:
  

  Thank you very much for all the listening activities you are offering. Interesting and good practise.

• OSCAR says:
  

  Thanks a lot for this great lesson. Definitely is a good way to improve your listening skills.

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  I like your lessons

• Bao Tran says:
  

  THanks,this text is useful.

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• Jesus Fumanal González says:
  

  Great ! Thanks . This type of exercices let me keep in touch with English and go on practising vocabulario

• fucccck says:
  

  địt mẹ mày

• TNTE. LOPEZ VELASCO SILVIA says:
  

  This kind of audios help people to improve their listening skills.

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