A Glimpse into the Heart of France!

Mona Lisa, by Leonardo da Vinci, (c.1503 - 1506) Oil on Panel, Musée du Louvre, Paris

A High Renaissance painting by Italian artist, Leonardo da Vinci, it is probably the world's most-famous painting. On August 21, 1911, the painting was stolen from the Museum by a man who hid the painting under his coat; measuring approximately 30 by 21 inches, it was small enough to avoid detection. The Mona Lisa set the standard for all future portraits. The painting presents a woman from her waist up and has as a backdrop of a distant landscape. Her mysterious smile and her unproven identity have made the painting a source of ongoing investigation and fascination.

Le Dejeuner (The Breakfast), by François Boucher (1703 - 1770) Oil on Canvas, Musée du Louvre, Paris

The Rococo painting depicts a mother sitting at breakfast with her two young children and their governess. The butler is serving them coffee, a delicacy during the period. The painting is a “genre” in that it portrays charming insights into 18th French upper class domestic life during the reign of Louis XV.

Salome Receiving the Head of John the Baptist, Bernardino Luini, (ca. 1480 - 1532, Italian) Oil on canvas. Musée du Louvre, Paris

This High Renaissance painting was once attributed to Leonardo de Vinci, but was actually painted by Italian artist Bernardino Luini. The painting illustrates Roman cultural history and capital punishment, and religious history as it recounts how King Herod, appreciative of the dancing by his stepdaughter Salome, offered her a gift. Her Mother, out of retaliation forced her to request the head of the man.

Pierrot (The Sad Clown), Jean-Antoine Watteau, 1719, Oil on canvas. Musée du Louvre, Paris

Pierrot: The sad clown. This Rococo painting has the fluidity of the brushwork and soft color palette commonly associated with the period. It is often considered a self-portrait, but why would the artist portray himself as a sad clown. The painting is dramatic and powerful with the oversized central character dressed in blooms of satin.

The Lute Player, Frans Hals. 1623, Oil on canvas. Dimensions, (28 in × 24 in), Musée du Louvre, Paris

This Jester painting by Dutch painter Frans Hals is part of the musical genre. The jester was historically an entertainer during the medieval and Renaissance eras.