Mona Lisa

　　Mona Lisa is a 16th­century portrait painted by Leonardo da Vinci during the Italian Renaissance (文艺复兴), which now is under the care of Louvre in Paris. It is perhaps the most famous painting in the world. But who was the heroine and what is the story behind the mysterious smile?

　　Its identity remains uncertain.Some researchers say that she was the widowed (寡居的) Duchess of Milan. Others say it is possible that she was Mona Lisa Gherardini, the third wife of the wealthy silk merchant Francesco.

　　The smile of Mona Lisa has kept people guessing. Someone says that the smile originated (起源，发端) from Leonardo da Vinci's mother, Caterina. Others say the smile is quite simple because women were taught to smile so as to add an air of mystery and elegance at that time. The truth is that this style of smile was not invented by Leonardo da Vinci. It can be found in a number of sculptures (雕塑) from the 15th century.

　　No one knows the truth behind this famous painting except Leonardo da Vinci himself, but people are so fond of it and would enjoy guessing.

　　In fact, there are many fine art forms in western countries and China as well. It's these fine arts and pop arts that make our life colourful. Now let's step into this module to learn more about them.

　　Section_ⅠWelcome to the unit & Reading - Pre­reading