Pictures of the Louvre Museum in Paris

By Courtney Traub, About.com Guide

In the early 15th century, Italian painter Leonardo da Vinci revolutionized the art of portraits with La Gioconda, a work better known today as the Mona Lisa and now one of the Louvre's most-coveted works. The painting, which is actually quite small and protected behind heavy glass, can be hard to get close to on account of the crowds. Try getting to the Louvre on a weekday or early in the morning for a better chance at getting a close look at the lady with the mysterious half-smile.

NEXT: Venus de Milo at the Louvre

Read More About the Louvre:

• Louvre Museum Profile and Visitor's Guide
• Top Louvre Visitor Tips
• Louvre Museum History
• Carrousel du Louvre Shopping Center
• Louvre-Tuileries Neighborhood Guide

Previous

• Louvre: The "Cour Napoleon" and Glass Pyramid
• A Closer Look at the Glass Pyramid
• Da Vinci's La Gioconda (Mona Lisa)
• Venus de Milo (Aphrodite)
• The Winged Victory of Samothrace (Ancient Greece)
• Liberty Leading the People by Eugene Delacroix
• The Apollo Gallery: A Newly Renovated Treasure at the Louvre
• The Hammurabi Code Room at the Louvre

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