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Mona Lisa, 2000

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Bold and irreverent, Mona Lisa is a large-scale rendition of one of Banksy’s most iconic subjects. The protagonist of Leonardo da Vinci’s masterpiece is wrestled from her original context, blasted in monochrome spray paint and endowed with a rocket launcher. Banksy realized at least two versions of this visual, Mona Lisa holding her firearm, either on the right or on the left hand-side.
Painted in 2000, the work dates from a pivotal moment in the career of Britain’s best-known – and most elusive – street artist. Coming to prominence as a teenager in Bristol in the early 1990s, Banksy began to achieve critical acclaim at the turn of the millennium, relocating to London whilst keeping his identity a closely guarded secret.
Banksy also realized a few murals based on this provocative visual.
His early freehand graffiti gave way to his signature use of stencils, allowing him to work at greater speed. Banksy claims that this change in approach was inspired by viewing a stenciled serial number on the underside of a rubbish lorry, where he once took refuge from the police.
 Marcel Duchamp, L.H.O.O.Q
Recalling famous appropriations of the Mona Lisa by Marcel Duchamp and Andy Warhol, the present work takes its place within Banksy’s satirical, subversive and darkly humorous pantheon of imagery. At the same time, its subject retains some of the original painting’s enigmatic qualities: Mona Lisa is both attacker and target, her smile betraying nothing.
Banksy, Cut It Out, December 2004
Banksy would return to the Mona Lisa throughout his practice, painting her in a variety of profane guises. In 2004, as part of a stunt, he hung one of his own versions of the painting in the Louvre Museum (home to the original work) replacing the subject’s face with a yellow smiley emoticon.
 Leonardo da Vinci, Mona Lisa, Louvre Museum, Paris

Auction Results

Mona Lisa, 2000

Christie’s London: 24 June 2019
Estimated: GBP 600,000 – 800,000
GBP 731,250 / USD 928,330

Banksy (b. 1974) (christies.com)

REPEAT SALE

Sotheby’s London: 28 February 2008
Estimated: GBP 30,000 – 40,000
GBP 168,500 / USD 335,115

(#325) Banksy

BANKSY
Mona Lisa, 2000
Spraypaint stencil on board
48×48 inches (122×122 cm)
Stenciled with the artist’s name ‘BANKSY’ (lower left)

Provenance
Private Collection (acquired directly from the artist).
Anon. sale, Sotheby’s London, 28 February 2008, lot 325.
Acquired at the above sale by the present owner.

Mona Lisa with AK47, 2000

Sotheby’s London: 22 June 2007
Estimated: GBP 40,000 – 60,000
GBP 156,000 / USD 311,680

BANKSY
Mona Lisa with AK47, 2000
Spray-paint stencil on board
122×122 cm (48×48 inches)
Stenciled “BANKSY”, lower right

Provenance
Acquired directly from the artist by the present owner

Gallery

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