La+Joconde

//La Joconde// is the French translation of the subject’s last name, Gioconda; she was a Lisa Gherardini who married a Francesco del Giocondo in the late 15th century. (“Mona” is an honorific in front of her first name.) She is an oil painting (//peinture à l’huile//) on a wooden panel made of poplar wood (//un panneau de bois de peuplier//). The original is considered //un chef d’oeuvre// (a masterpiece). Somewhere in the world, there are at least six passable forgeries once owned by wealthy Americans. The French word for forgery is //contrefaçon//.

The Travels of La Joconde