The most recommended books about the Mona Lisa

Who picked these books? Meet our 5 experts.

5 authors created a book list connected to the Mona Lisa, and here are their favorite Mona Lisa books.
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Book cover of Leonardo. the Complete Paintings and Drawings

Ben Lewis Author Of The Last Leonardo: The Secret Lives of the World's Most Expensive Painting

From my list on Leonardo da Vinci.

Why am I passionate about this?

I fell in love with art when I was 14 on a trip to Florence with my parents. From that moment on there was hardly an exhibition in London I didn’t go and see. Over the last 20 years, I have made scores of documentaries (Art Safari) and podcasts (Art Bust) about art and written books that explore how the arts and culture intersect with economics, society, and politics. I love to research and tell stories about art: behind the most beautiful objects there often lie the most intriguing of tales, where intellect and imagination collide with ambition, greed, and vanity.

Ben's book list on Leonardo da Vinci

Ben Lewis Why did Ben love this book?

The definitive account of Leonardo’s life and work by one of the world’s greatest Leonardo scholars, magnificently illustrated, clearly written, admirably objective.

Frank was very generous in his advice to me, as I wrote my own book about Leonardo, though he generally takes a more favourable view of the Saudi Salvator Mundi than I do. It’s a big book but easy to dip in and out of with its Catalogue Raisonée structure of an account of the artist's life followed by essays on each painting.

By Frank Zöllner, Johannes Nathan,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Leonardo. the Complete Paintings and Drawings as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Unmatched in his ingenuity, technical prowess, and curiosity, Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519) epitomizes the humanistic ideal of the Renaissance man: a peerless master of painting, sculpture, cartography, anatomy, architecture-and more. Simultaneously captivating art historians, collectors, and the millions who flock yearly to admire his works, Leonardo's appeal is as diffuse as were his preoccupations. His images permeate nearly every facet of Western culture-The Vitruvian Man is engraved into millions of Euro coins, The Last Supper is considered the single most reproduced religious painting in history, and the Mona Lisa has entranced countless artists and observers for centuries.

On the occasion…


Book cover of The Last King of California

Sam Holland Author Of The Twenty

From Sam's 3 favorite reads in 2023.

Why am I passionate about this?

Author Serial killer nerd Introvert Book lover Spaniel owner

Sam's 3 favorite reads in 2023

Sam Holland Why did Sam love this book?

Everybody recommended Jordan Harper to me. This can be both a blessing and a curse; could expectations be met? Of course, they were. Exceeded and then some.

This book tells the story of Luke, visiting family for the first time in years and discovering that The Combine, a gang run by his uncle, no longer feels like home. But as he tags along with his childhood friend, Callie, he gets caught up in a gang war and is forced to join them in order to save everything he holds dear.

Harper is an exquisite writer with a distinctive style all of his own. He approaches acts of extreme violence with a critical eye and a straightforward manner, leaving you racing through the chapters, desperate to know what happens, at the same time as trying to savor every single word.

By Jordan Harper,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked The Last King of California as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

'Beautifully written' S. A. Cosby

Sometimes to find yourself, you have to go back to where you came from.
You just might not like what you find.

After failing in his new life, Luke decides to go home, back to the one place where he'd once felt he belonged. But that was a long time ago and now he has to face the life that he chose to run away from: The Combine. The gang that his uncle now leads, but which his father still runs from prison. Brutal, unforgiving . . . family.

Reunited with his childhood friend Callie…


Book cover of Living with Leonardo: Fifty Years of Sanity and Insanity in the Art World and Beyond

Ben Lewis Author Of The Last Leonardo: The Secret Lives of the World's Most Expensive Painting

From my list on Leonardo da Vinci.

Why am I passionate about this?

I fell in love with art when I was 14 on a trip to Florence with my parents. From that moment on there was hardly an exhibition in London I didn’t go and see. Over the last 20 years, I have made scores of documentaries (Art Safari) and podcasts (Art Bust) about art and written books that explore how the arts and culture intersect with economics, society, and politics. I love to research and tell stories about art: behind the most beautiful objects there often lie the most intriguing of tales, where intellect and imagination collide with ambition, greed, and vanity.

Ben's book list on Leonardo da Vinci

Ben Lewis Why did Ben love this book?

Here we shift the focus to what it’s like being a Leonardist. Yes, that is a word! Oxford professor Martin Kemp is one of the world’s most in-demand Leonardo scholars. His inbox is full of emails from strangers who think they have an undiscovered Leonardo in their attic. He rebuilds Leonardo’s flying machines for museum exhibitions. And when a stolen Leonardo da Vinci painting is recovered, he gets a call from the police.

Somehow Kemp manages to be self-regarding and self-deprecating, accessible, and a little superior at the same time, as he whisks you along on his adventures in Leonardoland.

By Martin Kemp,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Living with Leonardo as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Living with Leonardo is a set of highly focused memoirs, a personal journey interwoven with historical research that encapsulates the author's relationship with Leonardo da Vinci over more than half a century.

We learn of his encounters with the vast population that surrounds Leonardo: great and lesser academics, collectors and curators, devious dealers and unctuous auctioneers, major scholars and authors and pseudohistorians and fantasists; but also how he has grappled with swelling legions of 'Leonardo loonies', walked on the eggshells of vested interests in academia and museums, and fended off fusillades of non-Leonardos, sometimes more than one a week. Kemp…


Book cover of The Short Story of Art: A Pocket Guide to Key Movements, Works, Themes, & Techniques (Art History Introduction, a Guide to Art)

Jennifer Dasal Author Of ArtCurious: Stories of the Unexpected, Slightly Odd, and Strangely Wonderful in Art History

From my list on art newbies.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’m an art historian, author, and the former curator of modern and contemporary art at the North Carolina Museum of Art in Raleigh, North Carolina—so art is my thing! I’m the host of the independent podcast ArtCurious, which I started in 2016 and which was named one of the best podcasts by O, The Oprah Magazine and PC Magazine, among other outlets. I’m also the author of a book called ArtCurious, which was lauded in Publisher’s Weekly, BookPage, and Booklist. I’ve got advanced degrees in art history and love to share all my enthusiasm for art whenever I can (also: travel!). 

Jennifer's book list on art newbies

Jennifer Dasal Why did Jennifer love this book?

I love this book! Like the idea of The Annotated Mona Lisa but don’t want quite so much detail? This one is great— let’s take 50 works of art throughout art history and tell you exactly why they are important. Easy peasy, and filled with humor and joy, too. 

By Susie Hodge,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Short Story of Art as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

The Short Story of Art is a new and innovative introduction to the subject of art. Simply constructed, the book explores 50 key works, from the wall paintings of Lascaux to contemporary installations, and then links these to sections on art movements, themes and techniques.

The design of the book allows the student or art enthusiast to easily navigate their way around key periods, artists and styles. Accessible and concise, it simplifies and explains the most important and influential concepts in art, and shows how they are connected.

The book explains how, why and when art changed, who introduced certain…


Book cover of Crêpes by Suzette

Katelyn Aronson Author Of Piglette

From my list on children’s fiction books featuring plenty of French flavor.

Why am I passionate about this?

I am an American children’s author and expat living in France. Holding a bilingual master’s from La Sorbonne University in Paris, I now teach both English and French as foreign languages to children and adults of all ages. A Francophile since my very first French lessons back in high school, I now enjoy French citizenship and am happy to be “living my best life” between my two countries. I am passionate about promoting literacy and the languages I hold dear.

Katelyn's book list on children’s fiction books featuring plenty of French flavor

Katelyn Aronson Why did Katelyn love this book?

I found this book to be very useful for parents and educators, since it shows mixed media illustrations using real photographs of Paris, while introducing kids to actual French words and phrases.

As the title suggests, it also dishes up a delicious description of making crêpes in the French capital city.

By Monica Wellington,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Crêpes by Suzette as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 2, 3, 4, and 5.

What is this book about?

Take your children on a trip to Paris with Suzette, the crêpe maker, and her artistic customers. As Suzette sells her delicacies over the course of a day, you will be treated to the sights and sounds of one of the most beautiful cities in the world, from Nôtre-Dame to the Eiffel Tower. Suzette's customers along the way are inspired by works of art, such as da Vinci's Mona Lisa and Degas's Little Dancer. Children will learn some key French words and phrases. As delicious as Suzette's crêpes, this book will captivate children--and parents-- who will want to make the…


Book cover of Vision and Art: The Biology of Seeing

Glenn Randall Author Of The Art, Science, and Craft of Great Landscape Photography

From my list on landscape photography why and how.

Why am I passionate about this?

The wilderness has fascinated me since childhood. I spent much of my teens and twenties rock-climbing, ice-climbing, and mountaineering in ranges from Alaska to Argentina. By my early 30s, however, my interest in outdoor sports was waning, and my interest in photographing wild places was soaring. I became a full-time wilderness landscape photographer in 1993. For fifteen years, I shot 4x5 film. Then, in 2008, I retired my film cameras for good and began shooting digitally. Today, after more than 30 years of full-time landscape photography, I am still enthralled with the arduous, ecstatic experience of trying to capture the elusive beauty of the wilderness.

Glenn's book list on landscape photography why and how

Glenn Randall Why did Glenn love this book?

This book is the best book I’ve found on our complex visual system and how we use it to view art. I came across it while trying to understand why some of my landscape images succeeded and others failed. Although no book can fully explain people’s preferences, I still found its insights into how we view art to be unexpected and fascinating.

By Margaret S. Livingstone,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked Vision and Art as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

In this new expanded edition Livingstone thoroughly updates this groundbreaking study with the latest findings gathered from her research, with 32 additional pages of new text and images, including 3 brand new chapters. She begins by offering a comprehensive account of the biology of vision, drawing on the history of science and her own cutting edge discoveries. She then turns to art and delves into the science underlying various phenomena in painting, using many examples from the mysterious allure of the Mona Lisa to the amazing atmospheric effects of the impressionists to illustrate her points. Along the way, she shows…


Book cover of The Annotated Mona Lisa: A Crash Course in Art History from Prehistoric to the Present

Jennifer Dasal Author Of ArtCurious: Stories of the Unexpected, Slightly Odd, and Strangely Wonderful in Art History

From my list on art newbies.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’m an art historian, author, and the former curator of modern and contemporary art at the North Carolina Museum of Art in Raleigh, North Carolina—so art is my thing! I’m the host of the independent podcast ArtCurious, which I started in 2016 and which was named one of the best podcasts by O, The Oprah Magazine and PC Magazine, among other outlets. I’m also the author of a book called ArtCurious, which was lauded in Publisher’s Weekly, BookPage, and Booklist. I’ve got advanced degrees in art history and love to share all my enthusiasm for art whenever I can (also: travel!). 

Jennifer's book list on art newbies

Jennifer Dasal Why did Jennifer love this book?

This book is my top recommendation for any art newbie that comes to me asking for book ideas. Where should I start if I want to learn about art history? Start right here! The Annotated Mona Lisa is easy to read, and educational yet entertaining, and it'll help you discover everything from what cave paintings actually mean, to the difference between Expressionism and Abstract Expressionism (hint: it's right there in the name), and even how contemporary artists make work out of miscellaneous objects. Great for preteens on up.

By Carol Strickland,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Annotated Mona Lisa as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

An illustrated tutorial of prehistoric to contemporary world art, from cave paintings to video art installations to digital and Internet media in an easy-to-understand format.

This heavily illustrated crash course in art history is revised and updated from the second edition published in 2007, including a new chapter about recent artists and movements. Featuring succinct page-length essays, instructive sidebars, and more than 300 photographs, The Annotated Mona Lisa: A Crash Course in Art History from Prehistoric to the Present takes art education out of the realm of dreary textbooks, demystifies jargon and theory, and makes the history of art movements…


Book cover of Leonardo. the Complete Paintings and Drawings
Book cover of The Last King of California
Book cover of Living with Leonardo: Fifty Years of Sanity and Insanity in the Art World and Beyond

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