Why Is the Mona Lisa Bald?

She’s one of the most famous faces of all time — even if she’s fictional. But now her signature locks are gone.

She’s the Mona Lisa, and she’s bald for a clever Italian ad campaign that’s helping raise money for Fondazione ANT. The nonprofit organization offers free home care to people with cancer in Italy and throughout Europe.

“This Mona Lisa changes the image of the original painting we have in our minds, the same way a tumor distorts the image we have of someone; but, once the shock is gone, we realize that the painting is still the same and it hasn’t lost any of its value,” Margarita Tasttini, the organization’s spokesperson told Spanish newspaper El Mundo.

The campaign, created by the advertising agency Diafragma, drives home the message that cancer changes the look of your life, but not its worth.

Born and raised in Spain, Lara is a digital producer and writer for Fusion — covering stories in culture and technology as well as in-depth environmental issues across the globe.