Hirsutism is excessive hair. Antonietta Gonzalez, also portrayed by Lavinia Fontana - inherited this condition from her father - Pedro Gonzalez. Both he and four of his seven children were excessively hairy. Despite their noble origins, they were not fully recognized as human beings by their contemporaries. 1)
The painting, Portrait of the Arnolfini Spouses, painted by Jan van Eyck probably commissioned by the merchant depicted, is full of symbolism. The mirror in the center of the scene reveals many secrets. The table visible in it turns out to be empty except for a few oranges (a symbol of luxury) arranged in such a way as to be visible from the front. Most importantly, however, the spouses reflected in the mirror are no longer holding hands. 2)
Rembrandt created about 100 self-portraits during his lifetime, including 20 prints. He began the series in 1627 by depicting himself as a young man and ended in 1669 with a portrait of a laughing old man. 3)
The Mona Lisa was stolen in 1911 by an employee of the Louvre, Vincenzo Peruggia. According to his testimony, he was driven by the impulse of patriotism - as an Italian, he wanted to sell the masterpiece to an Italian museum. The case came to light after two years, during which he hid the Mona Lisa in his apartment. Perguggi spent only six months in prison. The Italian court was kind to him, although today the motive of patriotism is questioned. 4)
What's special about the Mona Lisa? She has no eyebrows. Cutting them off was fashionable in Florence at the time. 5)