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Mona Lisa: research backs theory on male and female models, 'art detective' claims | Mona Lisa: research backs theory on male and female models, 'art detective' claims |
(4 months later) | |
Mona Lisa’s famous image could have been inspired by both the male and female form, a self-styled Italian art detective has claimed. | Mona Lisa’s famous image could have been inspired by both the male and female form, a self-styled Italian art detective has claimed. |
Silvano Vinceti says new research backs his long-standing theory that Leonardo Da Vinci used both a female and male model to create the acclaimed portrait that hangs in Paris’ Louvre museum. | Silvano Vinceti says new research backs his long-standing theory that Leonardo Da Vinci used both a female and male model to create the acclaimed portrait that hangs in Paris’ Louvre museum. |
While the identity of the woman is not certain, historians believe Lisa Gherardini, the wife of Florentine silk merchant Francesco del Giocondo, sat for Da Vinci for the painting. | While the identity of the woman is not certain, historians believe Lisa Gherardini, the wife of Florentine silk merchant Francesco del Giocondo, sat for Da Vinci for the painting. |
But Vinceti says he used infrared technology to examine the painting and made key findings in its first layer. | But Vinceti says he used infrared technology to examine the painting and made key findings in its first layer. |
“In that layer we can see that she was not smiling and joyful but looked melancholic and sad,” he said, adding the second model could have been Gian Giacomo Caprotti - Da Vinci’s male apprentice, known as Salai. | “In that layer we can see that she was not smiling and joyful but looked melancholic and sad,” he said, adding the second model could have been Gian Giacomo Caprotti - Da Vinci’s male apprentice, known as Salai. |
Using Photoshop, Vinceti compared the “Mona Lisa” face to other Da Vinci works Salai is believed to have posed for, including “St John the Baptist“. | Using Photoshop, Vinceti compared the “Mona Lisa” face to other Da Vinci works Salai is believed to have posed for, including “St John the Baptist“. |
“We have used all the paintings in which Leonardo used Salai as a model and compared them to the ’Mona Lisa’ and certain details correspond perfectly; so he used two models and added creative details which came from his own imagination,” he said. | “We have used all the paintings in which Leonardo used Salai as a model and compared them to the ’Mona Lisa’ and certain details correspond perfectly; so he used two models and added creative details which came from his own imagination,” he said. |
“I believe that this goes with a long-time fascination of Leonardo’s, that is, the subject of androgyny. In other words, for Leonardo, the perfect person was a combination of a man and a woman.“ | “I believe that this goes with a long-time fascination of Leonardo’s, that is, the subject of androgyny. In other words, for Leonardo, the perfect person was a combination of a man and a woman.“ |
Vinceti also bases his theory on claims by 16th Italian art historian and painter Giorgio Vasari that Gherardini’s husband hired clowns to try to make her smile for the sitting. | Vinceti also bases his theory on claims by 16th Italian art historian and painter Giorgio Vasari that Gherardini’s husband hired clowns to try to make her smile for the sitting. |
Salai’s name has in the past been linked to the “Mona Lisa”, but other historians have dismissed the claims. | Salai’s name has in the past been linked to the “Mona Lisa”, but other historians have dismissed the claims. |
Vicenti is known for controversial theories surrounding the Mona Lisa. He previously suggested that the letters “LV” were visible in her right pupil – a claim that has been repudiated by experts at the Louvre. | Vicenti is known for controversial theories surrounding the Mona Lisa. He previously suggested that the letters “LV” were visible in her right pupil – a claim that has been repudiated by experts at the Louvre. |
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