LEGO: Mona Lisa Review

You’ve seen her smile, you’ve seen the crowds, and now you can bring her home. The LEGO Art Mona Lisa takes one of the most famous faces in the world and turns her into a pixel-perfect mosaic. At first glance, it’s hard to believe those subtle shadows and that mysterious smirk come from thousands of tiny bricks. But, it works. Plus, there are a few different faces, so you can change her face and throw your family off for a loop. Don’t ask me how I know

The Basics

• Set: 31213 LEGO Art – Mona Lisa

• Pieces: 1,503

• Release Date: October 1, 2024

• Ages: 18+

• Size: 16 in. (40 cm) high, 11 in. (28 cm) wide, 1 in. (3 cm) deep

The Masterpiece

How do you feel about building a portrait that stares back at you the whole time? Thankfully she doesn’t until the end. The LEGO Art Mona Lisa was created in collaboration with the Louvre Museum, and you can feel the care in every layer. The build starts with a shimmering gold frame made from more gold pieces than any LEGO set to date. I was skeptical about it at first, but by the time I finished, I loved it so much it earned a spot in my foyer.

The set comes with 19 bags. You start with the frame, then build the canvas. From there, you paint with bricks from top to bottom. The background comes first, then the layers that shape her hands, and finally her face. Each section adds more depth, just like Da Vinci’s original technique. The layering is beautiful and comes together quite nicely. I am not certain about her expression. I used to think she smiles, but she doesn’t. Compared to the rest of the painting, the eyes and face seem a bit out of place, but the option of now giving her eyes made her look creepy, so we settled.

The manual matches the colors almost perfectly which lets the build fill smoothly. The LEGO painting is elegant and it feels surreal to be able to replicate it. I was a bit disappointed to not get the sticker to sign it, but then I learned that the painting was never signed.

Final Impression

When you’re done, you don’t just have a LEGO mosaic, you have a piece of history. The finished build is gorgeous. From the layered background to the elegant frame. It’s only about 1,500 pieces, but it feels like so much more. You start by creating the frame, then stacking colors, and by the end, you are staring into the woman that has made many wonder for centuries. I never thought I’d say this, but I want to paint the Mona Lisa (again). I may never experience to see the real one without a crowd, but at home, she’s quietly watching over my foyer and judging my guests.