The Mona Lisa is traditionally believed to be a portrait of Lisa Gherardini, also known as Lisa del Giocondo, who was the wife of a wealthy Florentine silk merchant named Francesco del Giocondo. She was born in 1479 and married Francesco at the age of 15. The painting was likely commissioned to celebrate the birth of their second son and was painted by Leonardo da Vinci between 1503 and 1506
. Lisa Gherardini was a noblewoman from Florence, and the portrait is considered an archetypal masterpiece of the Italian Renaissance. The painting is also known by the Italian name "La Gioconda," which refers to her married name, and the French "La Joconde." The Mona Lisa is famous for the subject's enigmatic expression and the painting's artistic qualities
. There are some alternative theories about the identity of the woman depicted, such as the suggestion that it might be Isabella of Aragon, but the majority of scholars and art historians support the identification as Lisa Gherardini
. In summary, the Mona Lisa was a real woman named Lisa Gherardini, a Florentine noblewoman married to Francesco del Giocondo, and the painting was created by Leonardo da Vinci as a commissioned portrait of her
