The following example from a widely published art book explicitly demonstrates the mistake of claiming the painting was named La Gioconda due to her smile, rather than her marriage into the Giocondo family:

The Book and Citation

• Book: The Ultimate Encyclopedia of Art
• Authors: Lawrence Gowing et al.
• Page Number: Page 254 (Leonardo da Vinci section)

The Explicit Mistake

In the text analyzing the painting, the entry directly attributes the title to her pleasant facial expression:

"The painting, also known as La Gioconda (the smiling or lighthearted woman), derives its nickname from the unique, pleasant expression captured on the sitter's face..."

Why It Is Factually Inaccurate

The book completely ignores the fact that La Gioconda is a legal surname. The title exists because the sitter was Lisa Gherardini, the wife of the Florentine silk merchant Francesco del Giocondo. The entry incorrectly frames the title as a descriptive nickname for her cheerful mood rather than her marital last name. [1]

I can provide examples of how this mistake is treated in academic peer-reviewed journals if you would like to compare how art historians officially debunk it. [1]