The Mona Lisa effect is real—scholars have documented the phenomenon for nearly 2000 years. The effect doesn’t just depend on the direction of the painted figure’s gaze.

The phenomenon is even called the "Mona Lisa effect" because of it. But a new study published in the journal i-Perception found that she's really "looking" to the right-hand side of her audience.

The 'Mona Lisa Effect' refers to the impression that the eyes of the person portrayed in an image seem to follow the viewer as they move in front of the picture. Researchers now demonstrate that ...

The “Mona Lisa Effect” — the impression that the eyes of a subject are staring right at or following a viewer — is actually a misnomer, German researchers found in a study published this week.

With Steven Spielberg’s bitey classic turning 50, the director and producer of the new "definitive" Jaws documentary weigh in ...

The gaze of the "Mona Lisa," however, was measured by the study participants at an average angle of 15.4 degrees to the right -- in short, the Mona Lisa is definitely not looking at her audience.

A small 2019 study found that this perceptual "Mona Lisa effect" is indeed real—it just doesn't apply to the famous painting. As we reported at the time, she's actually "looking" to the right ...

As long as the angle of the person's gaze is no more than about 5 degrees off to either side, the Mona Lisa effect occurs. You may like People really can communicate with just their eyes, study finds; ...

The artist said he was inspired to create the image after his visit to the Louvre in Paris was ruined by people glued to ...

The Mona Lisa is famed for two things: her enigmatic smile and her steady gaze, widely believed to follow her viewers around the room. Indeed, Leonardo da Vinci’s world-renowned painting, also ...

The Mona Lisa effect: How eyespots deter predators that approach from different directions. ScienceDaily . Retrieved June 2, 2025 from www.sciencedaily.com / releases / 2022 / 10 / 221018131145.htm ...