What do the French call the Mona Lisa La Giaconda?

Answer 1

"La Joconde"
Portrait of Mona Lisa (1479-1528), also known as La Gioconda, the wife of Francesco del Giocondo; 1503-06 (150 Kb); Oil on wood, 77 x 53 cm (30 x 20 7/8 in); Musee du Louvre, Paris.

*portrait of Mona Lisa(english) = portrait de Mona Lisa (french)

Answer 2

The painting is known in Europe as "La Gioconda" or the "merry one," a play-on-words involving her last name and her smile. It is possibly a portrait of Lisa Gherardini, wife of a Florentine cloth merchant named Francesco del Giocondo. Mona was a term of respect which was much like using Mylady. Thus you have Mona Lisa (Mylady Lisa) or La Gioconda.

Answer 3

The title Mona Lisa stems from the Giorgio Vasari biography of Leonardo da Vinci, published 31 years after Leonardo's death. In it, he identified the sitter as Lisa, the wife of wealthy Florentine businessman Francesco del Giocondo. "Mona" is a common Italian contraction of "madonna," meaning "my lady," the equivalent of the English "Madam," so the title means "Madam Lisa." In modern Italian the short form of "madonna" is usually spelled "Monna," so the title is sometimes, though rarely, given as Monna Lisa.

The alternative La Gioconda is the feminine form of Giocondo. In Italian giocondo also means 'light-hearted' ('jocund' in English), so "gioconda" means "light-hearted woman". Because of her smile, this version of the title plays on this double-meaning, as in the French "La Joconde."

Both Mona Lisa and La Gioconda became established as titles for the painting in the 19th century. Before these names became established, the painting had been referred to by various descriptive phrases, such as "a certain Florentine lady" and "a courtesan in a gauze veil."

Answer 4

It's really Italian, from 'giocondo,' which means 'light hearted'. more info below. hope it helps! :)