Mona Lisa, also called Portrait of Lisa Gherardini, wife of Francesco del Giocondo, Italian La Gioconda, or French La Joconde, oil painting on a wood panel by Leonardo da Vinci, is probably the world's most famous painting. It was painted sometime between 1503 and 1519, when Leonardo was living in Florence, and it now hangs in the Louvre Museum, Paris, attracting people throughout the world to see it in the 21st century. The sitter's mysterious smile and her unproven identity have made the painting a source of ongoing investigation and fascination.

But at least a dozen excellent copies of the Mona Lisa exist, many of them by Leonardo's students. One such copy at the Prado Museum in Madrid was thought to have been painted years after the original. However, during the restoration of the painting in the early 2010s, which included using advanced reflexology to examine the work beneath the surface, conservators discovered that the painting had changes that mirrored those of the original. The findings suggested that the artist — likely one of the master's assistants — painted the copy as Leonardo worked on the Mona Lisa in his studio. Thus, "the Prado version" became the only known copy completed during Leonardo's lifetime. Conservators cleaned the entire painting and removed its black background, revealing a detailed landscape resembling Leonardo's version and vibrant colors, possibly arousing those of the original before the paint applied by early restorers darkened over time.

In June, a copy of the Mona Lisa is said to have been sold for a record 2.9 million euros (22 million yuan) at Christie's in Paris. The copy is believed to have been made by a follower of Leonardo da Vinci in the early 17th century and later was purchased by Harkin in 1953 from an art dealer in Nice, France, hence it got the name Heggin's Mona Lisa. High imitation is also worth money! As the art investment market heats up, various art reproductions continue to emerge. Collectors have not rejected these fine copies, some of which have not only made it into the house, but also sold for high prices. Is it really worth it to pay a high price for an art reproduction? This issue is getting more and more attention from collectors.