For years, theories have been bandied about with regards to the identity of this woman, with some going as far as Da Vinci painting himself in drag. Whilst the sitter is still not one hundred percent confirmed, it is widely accepted that the person behind the paint was a woman named Lisa Gherardini, the wife of a slave trader in Florence. She was married off at the age of fifteen to Francesco del Giocondo, and his involvement in the slave trade allowed her to lead a life of luxury as a member of one of the more well-known families in Florence. Their time in Florence was not without scandal, most notably being tainted when two members of the wealthy Medici family made attempts to proposition Gherardini in order to discredit the family.
As time passes, it becomes harder and harder to prove historical theories, however with new information coming to light as recently as the twenty-first century, it is possible that there may become available further evidence that supports this theory. As one of the most talked about paintings in the world, it will forever find itself under intense global speculation, however, perhaps if we took away the uncertainty and the mystery of the painting, it may not be so appealing.
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...the Mona Lisa?
ARTE E CULTURA
ARTE E CULTURA
As one of the most talked about paintings in the world, it will forever find itself under intense global speculation...
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Image: Flickr, Mona_Lisa,_facecrop2
It was thought that the painting itself was commissioned
by Giocondo to celebrate the birth of one of their five
children, although for some unknown reason, the
painting was never passed over into the possession of the
Giocondo family. In 2005, a five-hundred-year old note
was found that seemed to add to the legitimacy of this
theory. Written by an acquaintance of Da Vinci, it refers
to Da Vinci’s portrait of Lisa, and for many art historians,
is sufficient evidence to prove the identity of ‘La Gioconda’.
Maddie Hardern