What two paintings is Leonardo da Vinci famous for?

• A. Mona Lisa (Louvre) and The Last Supper (Milan)
• B. The Starry Night and Guernica
• C. The Scream and The Persistence of Memory
• D. Girl with a Pearl Earring and The Night Watch

Answer: (A)

Leonardo da Vinci is best known for two iconic paintings: the Mona Lisa and The Last Supper. The Mona Lisa, kept in the Louvre, stands out for its mysterious smile, seamless transitions between tones (sfumato), and lifelike presence that makes viewers feel they are looking at a real person. The Last Supper, originally painted for a dining hall in Milan, is celebrated for its dramatic moment, how Leonardo arranged the figures to lead the viewer’s eye to the central figure of Jesus, and its innovative composition and storytelling. These two works epitomize Leonardo’s mastery of portraiture and narrative in art.

The other paintings mentioned belong to different artists—Starry Night is by Vincent van Gogh, Guernica by Pablo Picasso, The Scream by Edvard Munch, The Persistence of Memory by Salvador Dalí, Girl with a Pearl Earring by Johannes Vermeer, and The Night Watch by Rembrandt. They are famous in their own right, but not associated with Leonardo.