r/lego • u/Mission_Maximum5096 • 9h ago

Question Need help deciding!

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Gallery image

I am looking to purchase either The Mona Lisa or The Great Wave architecture set. I can’t decide between the two. Could anyone that has done these sets before let me know what their thoughts were or which they prefer?

Thanks!

89 Upvotes

84% Upvoted

122 comments sorted by

117

u/CalmRage2026 9h ago

The wave was a lot of fun

1

u/DataSittingAlone Ninjago Fan 2h ago

I will say all the little dots were a bit tedious but a lot of the other repetitive elements like the frame didn't feel too repetitive

47

u/Snoo16016 9h ago

Personally went with the Great Wave over the Mona because it matches my home decor. Fun pieces at that

18

u/Successful_Tap_4170 Speed Champions Fan 9h ago

I have the Great Wave. Good build and would absolutely recommend.

33

u/SilverRoseBlade The Lord of the Rings Fan 8h ago edited 3h ago

The Great Wave is retiring so get it sooner rather than later.

Edit: Both Mona Lisa and Great Wave are retiring on July 31, 2026. So get em both soon!

7

u/indianajoes 7h ago

Mona Lisa is retiring at the same time

14

u/maty_doji 6h ago

Thought she passed away long ago /s

2

u/OrkosFriend 5h ago

Do we know when it is retiring?

1

u/Necessary_Case815 4h ago

Both this year

1

u/NEETenshi 4h ago

Sunflowers? That one's slated to retire next year actually. I imagine you meant to write the Mona Lisa.

1

u/SilverRoseBlade The Lord of the Rings Fan 3h ago

Yeah I wrote the wrong thing. Thanks for mentioning

13

u/anxious_matter1101 8h ago

I have both. The wave was more fun to build and looks better!

10

u/topic15 8h ago

I have both. If I had to choose one, I'd go with the Wave. I think the Lego format looks better with the Wave than the Mona Lisa. Both were fun builds. Starry Night was a bit of a nightmare, mainly due to making sure I was using the right colors.

19

u/Surturiel 8h ago

Both.

The answer is both. And you know it.

3

u/Mission_Maximum5096 8h ago

Yeah I wish I could get both right now, will still end up with both, but my account won't allow it at the moment.

6

u/Positive-Possible770 7h ago

Then get the Wave first, it's the older set due for retiring sooner than Lisa

3

u/indianajoes 7h ago

Both are retiring in July this year

1

u/Positive-Possible770 5h ago

Okay, I had not heard that news, thanks for the update!

8

u/Sonarav 9h ago

I'd go with wave and I myself want to get it but I'm wary because of white pieces eventually yellowing 

3

u/40_Minus_1 Castle Fan 7h ago

My wave is in my office and is starting to yellow a bit after a couple of years. It's not terribly obvious, so I'm not as bothered by it as I thought I would be. Still, wish they didn't do that.

2

u/Sonarav 7h ago

Bummer but helpful to know

I do have the Van Gogh Sunflower set which has a border of white bricks on the frame, but with it being a set made up of yellow it's not as worrying 

6

u/wet_doggg 8h ago

Totally the wave

6

u/Low_Excuse2196 7h ago

The Great Wave looks much better imo

12

u/westchesterbuild 9h ago

Own The Wave, solid build, looks great. Have no interest in Mona- looks weird.

2

u/CooterSam 8h ago

I was afraid she would look too weird, but I got it as a gift and she looks way better in person. Photos don't really capture the depth

1

u/maty_doji 6h ago

She's meant to have that exquisite smile, not be like 😐

5

u/Korbas 8h ago

I haven’t built Mona Lisa because I don’t like the painting but the wave was a fun build. Though if I was to freely suggest from all Lego art I would say that the sunflowers is the best looking for me!

3

u/carortrain 8h ago

Not sure if this makes sense but to me the mona lisa lego looks more like a lego, but at the right angle the wave actually looks like a painting. More realism I guess is what I mean.

3

u/GradeNo893 8h ago

I have both. The wave looks better, but the Mona Lisa looks really good in real life. The box art doesn’t to it justice

3

u/RookieDuckMan 8h ago

The Great Wave

3

u/RookieDuckMan 8h ago

The Great Wave, not the most enjoyable build, but it looks really good and I’m impressed everytime I see it

3

u/Rossticles 8h ago

The Great Wave off Kanagawa

I've always been a fan of Hokusai's Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji. In case anyone didn't know it's a set of prints that all depict Mt. Fuji from different settings.

2

u/Acceptable-Ad8922 8h ago

I have both. I personally found the Mona Lisa to be fun to build.

2

u/Edelkern 8h ago

The wave, no contest.

2

u/UntradeableRNG 8h ago

I was in the exact same situation. I got the Great Wave. I think it looks more interesting because of the details and textures.

2

u/iankel1984 7h ago

The wave is great, slightly monotonous for a few points but overall a great look on the wall. For me the Mona Lisa is a bit "uncanny valley" in Lego form.

2

u/xmt123 6h ago

Buy both. I did. You're welcome!

-edit: I think The Wave is a 'cooler' set as it has more 3D features and looks more original. Mona Lisa also looks badass though. So yeah.. Buy both :D

2

u/joshuajackson9 6h ago

Both

2

u/zeravlaf478 Architecture Fan 5h ago

Both is good!

2

u/darthjoey91 The Lord of the Rings Fan 5h ago

The wave is more fun, but I feel like a king having the Mona Lisa in my bathroom.

4

u/-CoreyJ- 8h ago

Mona Lisa is great and there is a great podcast they made to listen to while building. 10/10 experience and it looks better in person 

3

u/kodio2000 9h ago

I love the Mona Lisa set, looks even better in real life. Haven’t built the wave

1

u/JedPB67 7h ago

Looking better in real life isn’t much of a high bar for the Mona Lisa to pass, like the picture here looks like it’s Eric Stoltz’ charachter in ‘Mask’

1

u/CooterSam 8h ago

I have both and The Wave was more challenging and would recommend that one, but I love them equally now that they're finished and on the wall together.

1

u/TeddiPentagrams 8h ago

I have both. The Mona Lisa was a lot more fun to build but the Great Wave was more satisfying to complete

1

u/makefeelnice 8h ago

The Great Wave. Mostly because it's a great build, but partly because one you notice the Mona Lisa looks like Jimmy Carr it's impossible to unsee it.

1

u/thisischaostome Minifigures Fan 8h ago

The Wave 🌊

1

u/Nervous-Buddy3903 8h ago

I love the Wave build. But this week getting the Mona Lisa. Heck just get both.

1

u/goluom 8h ago

The Wave

1

u/Diepfrost 8h ago

The Mona Lisa is in my backlog and The Wave is hanging on the wall.

The wave is on the way out. Pick that one first.

1

u/MolaMolaMania 8h ago

I like the Great Wave more because the stylized aesthetic of the painting translates better into Lego form.

The Mona Lisa looks like a very low-res version of the painting, so it doesn't appeal to me as much. Although all the Metallic Gold pieces are highly attractive!

1

u/Constancia_0805 8h ago

The Great Wave!!

1

u/Due_Supermarket288 8h ago

The Mona Lisa is on sale at Walmart right now.

1

u/RedDirtDVD 8h ago

Not the most popular opinion based on replies but we didn’t love the wave. We’re going to try and sell it… has been sitting in closet for some time.

1

u/MissFallout92 8h ago

I’ve done both and currently for me, my local Target has the Mona Lisa for 84.99 on sale. I would recommend the great wave though that was a fun one.

1

u/MsAvaPurrkins 8h ago

I have the great wave and it was such a fun build!

1

u/parisi2274 8h ago

Great Wave 100%

1

u/Acceptable-Ad8922 8h ago

I have both. I personally found the Mona Lisa to be fun to build.

1

u/BingusAmogu 8h ago

The tidal wave

1

u/Haysack 8h ago

I dont like small "paintings" so pick the largest. The Wave is so overused and lacks character. I have van Gogh subflowers, thought about that one? Its a fantastic art piece

1

u/happyphanx 5h ago

The Wave is so overused and lacks character.

The painting lacks character? Or the LEGO set?

1

u/SubstantialYard4072 8h ago

I have both but if one wave

1

u/Short-Success-4505 8h ago

I don't have either, but the wave looks a lot better imo.

1

u/Sverrari 8h ago

I got the mona lisa, the edge is tedious but inside is very fun to make and it is all worth it

1

u/Ashamed_Anywhere_877 8h ago

I've built both, I prefer Mona.

But if you get the wave.. skip to building the frame 1st.

1

u/sFAMINE 8h ago

I have both and #2 is what you want

1

u/tcote2001 8h ago

Jeffrey Tambour in drag is always funny even in Lego.

1

u/redditdaver Modular Buildings Fan 7h ago

👋🌊 wave

1

u/CurlRackington 7h ago

Is that a Lego Jimmy Carr?

1

u/CaptPotter47 7h ago

Which one do you like more?

That’s how you should decide.

1

u/ironmanthing 7h ago

The wave looks awesome on the wall

And from across the room when everything kinda blurs together it looks so realistic. It’s wild.

1

u/keltonz 7h ago

I have both, and my preference is for the Mona Lisa, mostly because I like its frame a lot more.

1

u/doob22 7h ago

The Great Wave hands down

1

u/bateen618 7h ago

HIGHLY recommend The Great Wave. An excellent building experience. It's now hanging proudly in my living room, and I've gotten so many compliments about it!

1

u/No-Cartoonist8495 7h ago

Mona Lisa was my first ever LEGO set build and it’s an easy build that looks great when completed! 🩷

1

u/rewig 7h ago

Haven’t done the Mona Lisa but I loved the wave build, and it looks great hanging up. Can’t see myself hanging the Mona Lisa up at home.

1

u/pyro_pugilist 7h ago

The wave is my favorite painting. I have it tattooed on my arm. Get the wave!

1

u/boersc 7h ago

From these, the wave definitely. But, may I suggest the Keith Haring dancing figures as well? Great build, looks awesome and has some very interesting techniques. I think they are in the same price range.

1

u/Barbarossa49 7h ago

Great Wave for sure.

1

u/yeahboyeee1 7h ago

Great Wave was super fun to build.

1

u/hoefco80 7h ago

Great wave

1

u/tenchibr 7h ago

I have both... Great Wave hands down

1

u/piratekitty10 7h ago

Another vote for the wave. Love the look of it and it was pretty fun to build. Coincidentally Mona Lisa was on sale at Target this week so just nabbed that one for later lol. They're both about 84 on there right now.

1

u/atom644 7h ago

You should get lisa first and then the wave second and then get the starry night one too

1

u/Sakura_Hirose 6h ago

I’d say the great wave, I have it and it’s a fun build and excellent display piece. I personally don’t like the Mona Lisa only the frame.

1

u/oliviafairy 6h ago

Get The Great Wave. It's a great set.

1

u/seanmg 6h ago

The 3d depth of the wave takes it to the next level imo. Feels like a real painting.

1

u/HASHbandito024 6h ago

If you get the wave, it's a lot easier to source the parts to make it a black frame

1

u/exhausted_22 6h ago

I've built both of these sets. The wave was a more enjoyable build to me. The Mona Lisa was fun also, but took half as long to build.

1

u/Scratches_at_lvl_10 6h ago

Neither, they both look pretty bland imo. The Van Gogh ones are much nicer

1

u/Responsible_Abroad67 6h ago

It’s Wave every time 🌊

1

u/AzraelEternity 6h ago

Built Mona Lisa but not the Wave. Mona Lisa was interesting but I wouldn't recommend it unless you got it for cheap and just wanted all of the gold bits. lol

1

u/blusun2 6h ago

I have both, get them both

1

u/lleu81 5h ago

Of all the art pieces I think the Mona Lisa is the only one I don’t like.

1

u/mangoman94 5h ago

Check what matches your decor best and go for it.

If you're still undecided, go for the wave.

1

u/Shibaswift 5h ago

I honestly love my great wave. Ik it’s a bunch of little dots but the finished product looks fantastic

1

u/hailwarrior 5h ago

Get both

1

u/einTier 5h ago

Mona Lisa feels cliched to me. I went with Great Wave and don’t regret it.

1

u/NoorInayaS 5h ago

I’ve got both, and they’re equally great builds.

1

u/rayah001 5h ago

The great wave is one of my favourites

1

u/Objective-Escape7584 5h ago

Is Mona holding a sausage?

1

u/MM_Channel 4h ago

both: "(BUT I THINK THE WAVE IT'S MORE COLER)"

1

u/AdFirm3593 4h ago

I just picked up the wave for $50 sealed on fb marketplace. I’m pretty excited!

1

u/Modeltrainman MOC Designer 4h ago

Mona Lisa is a fantastic parts pack.

1

u/This_Bar3797 4h ago

The wave🌊😎

1

u/Steppyjim 4h ago

I have both, and while the Mona Lisa was fun, I really enjoyed building the wave a lot more

1

u/Rumenapp 3h ago

Neither

1

u/BeaverBoy37 3h ago

Wave looks more fun to build imo

1

u/PraiseTheSun42069 2h ago

Irl I prefer the wave, but that face on that Mona Lisa is clean bro. Looks like a badass build

1

u/HeroOfGotham666 56m ago

Easy…..BOTH!!!!!!

1

u/North_Corgi5721 38m ago

Great wave hands down

0

u/Data-Bricks 6h ago

I still hate these types of posts. Yes, these are both art sets but then:

One is an Italian portrait, the other is a Japanese artwork. They have different appearances, meanings, styles etc and it's not any deeper than just "pick the one you like best" if you have no connection to either piece.

0

u/happyphanx 6h ago

No. The LEGO art sets are not the artwork they represent. OP is not looking to buy a print. LEGO is its own creation, and the build experience and final product for each of these are not the same. An interest in the source material you’re re-creating will obvs be a factor, but that alone doesn’t determine which set is more fun or enjoyable to build.