About this episode
Willa Paskin explores why the Mona Lisa became the most famous painting in the world through a conversation with listener Dustin Malek.
We are really lucky to get lots of listener suggestions for the show, more good questions than we can possibly answer in a mailbag episode once or twice a year. So we’re starting a new segment we call… Decoder Rings Back! Every month, host Willa Paskin will personally call up a listener to answer their question. In this inaugural installment of Decoder Rings Back, Willa calls up listener Dustin Malek about his cultural mystery: Why did the Mona Lisa , of all paintings, become the most famous in the world, bar none? Willa shares the story of daring heist that turned Leonardo da Vinci’s enigmatic smiling subject into a celebrity. Future episodes of Decoder Rings Back will only be available to Slate Plus subscribers. So if you want to be sure not to miss them, sign up for Slate Plus! You’ll get exclusive episodes and ad-free listening not just on our show, but all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe from the Decoder Ring show page on Apple Podcasts or Spotify , or visit slate.com/decoderplus for access wherever you listen. This episode was produced by Max Freedman. Decoder Ring is also produced by Katie Shepherd and Evan Chung, our supervising producer. Merritt Jacob…
People in this episode
Hosts: Willa Paskin, Max Freedman, Katie Shepherd, Evan Chung, Merritt Jacob
Guest: Dustin Malek
Topics covered
- art history
- cultural significance
- famous paintings
- listener interaction
- Mona Lisa
Keywords
- Mona Lisa
- Leonardo da Vinci
- art theft
- cultural mystery
- fame
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Slate Plus, Slate Podcasts, The Guardian
Books & works: Mona Lisa
More episodes of Slow Burn
- Becoming Justice Gorsuch | 3. A Lunch Room for Life · May 27, 2026 · 54 min
- Becoming Justice Gorsuch | 2. The Stolen Seat · May 20, 2026 · 45 min
- Becoming Justice Gorsuch | 1. Man With a Plan · May 13, 2026 · 37 min
- Season 11 Trailer: Becoming Justice Gorsuch · May 7, 2026 · 2 min
- Decoder Ring | Mailbag: Spooky Strings, Phone Menu Options, and Eye Rolls · May 6, 2026 · 54 min
- Decoder Ring | How to Make Dollars Make Sense · April 22, 2026 · 35 min
Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the Slow Burn podcast page.