FRENCH REPUBLIC
500th ANNIVERSARY OF THE MONA LISA
2003 GOLD FRANCE 100 EUROS
CERTIFIED BY NGC PROOF 69 ULTRA CAMEO
PARIS MINT MONA LISA #80 OF 99 MINTED
OBV: INITIALS "RF" (RÉPUBLIQUE FRANÇAISE) LEFT; LA GIOCANDA CENTER; ANNIVERSARY DATES RIGHT.
REV: STYLIZED LINE DRAWING OF LEONARDO DA VINCI'S SELF PORTRAIT LEFT; FRENCH REPUBLIC MOTTO ABOVE DENOMINATION AND DATE RIGHT.
KM #2005
PERHAPS THE MOST FAMOUS PAINTING IN THE WORLD IS THE MONA LISA or LA GIOCONDA. IT WAS PAINTED BY THE ITALIAN MASTER ARTIST AND RENAISSANCE POLYMATH, LEONARDO da VINCI, FROM 1503 TO 1506, AND PERHAPS AS LATE AS 1517.
THE HALF LENGTH PORTRAIT OF THE ITALIAN RENAISSANCE LADY, PORTRAYED ON THE 30 INCHES BY 21 INCHES OIL PAINTING ON WHITE LOMBARDY POPLAR PANEL, IS THOUGHT TO BE THAT OF LISA GHERARDINI, WIFE OF WEALTHY FLORENTINE SILK MERCHANT FRANCESCO del GIOCONDO.
THE SUBJECT'S ENIGMATIC SMILE, THE AMBIGUITY OF HER EXPRESSION, THE SUBTLE MODELLING OF FORMS, AND USE OF ATMOSPHERIC ILLUSIONISM HAS CONTRIBUTED GREATLY TO THE LONGEVITY OF THE WORK'S POPULARITY AND CONTINUED STUDY.
THE PAINTING WAS PURCHASED BY KING FRANCIS I OF FRANCE (1494-1547), AND IS NOW ON PERMANENT DISPLAY AT THE LOUVRE MUSEUM IN PARIS, AND ENDURES AS ONE OF THE MOST POPULAR ATTRACTIONS.
THIS BEAUTIFUL 100 EURO GOLD COIN WAS STRUCK TO COMMEMORATE THE 500th ANNIVERSARY OF LEONARDO'S MASTERPIECE.
CONTAINS 155.5 GRAMS OF 999 FINE GOLD (5 OZ AGW)
50mm IN DIAMETER
ONLY 99 MINTED!
MONNAIE de PARIS
