Most scholars agree that Leonardo da Vinci began painting the Mona Lisa around 1503 in Florence and continued working on it intermittently for several years, likely up until about 1516–1519.

Quick Scoop

  • The Mona Lisa was started around 1503 in Florence, Italy, during Leonardo’s mature Renaissance period.
  • Major institutions (like the Louvre and Britannica) usually give a range between 1503 and about 1506 for the main execution of the portrait.
  • Evidence from later biographies and documents suggests Leonardo kept refining the painting for many years and still had it in his studio when he died in 1519.

So if you’re answering “when was the Mona Lisa painted?” in one line, the standard, concise answer is:

It was painted between about 1503 and 1506, with later touch‑ups possibly continuing until around 1517–1519.

TL;DR: Leonardo da Vinci began the Mona Lisa around 1503, likely painted most of it by 1506, and may have continued adjusting it until close to his death in 1519.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.