Leonardo da Vinci was a genius. He was a painter, philosopher, scientist, and inventor. He invented the parachute in 1480, sketched a design for a submarine, and made detailed studies of human anatomy. He believed that sight was the most important of the senses and he carefully studied the world around him, keeping detailed notes of what he saw. Strangely enough, he wrote his notes backward, so that they must be held to a mirror to be read.

Leonardo wouldn't settle for a painting that was less than perfect. He would spend years working on a single painting, so he didn't produce many works. In fact, only 17 of his paintings have survived, and some of these are not finished.

Leonardo spent four years painting "The Mona Lisa." It's his most famous painting--in fact, it's the most famous painting in the world. You've probably seen "The Mona Lisa" before--in advertisements or on tee shirts.

No one is sure who the model for "The Mona Lisa" was. She's thought to have been the wife of a merchant named Francesco del Giocondo, so the painting is more correctly known as The Gioconda.

What's so special about The Mona Lisa"? Many things. It's a skillful painting that demonstrates Leonardo's talent as an artist. It's also an almost eerie combination of a real-looking woman against a fairy tale background. Especially, it's that mystic smile-- a hint of a smile that's kept people talking for nearly 500 years.

If "The Mona Lisa" were the only painting that Leonardo painted, the artist would still be called a genius.

Used with permission from Start ExploringTM Masterpieces by Mary Martin, Stories by Steven Zorn Copyright 1981, 1990 Running Press Book Publishers, Philadelphia and London.