Lisa Gherardini.
Monna Lisa.
Lisa Gherardini da Giocondo, la Gioconda del Giocondo.
La Joconde, Mona Lisa…
Some of the names of the world’s most famous paintings.
In Mona Lisa: The Woman Behind the Masterpiece, Dianne Hales takes us on a fascinating journey back to 15th-century Florence, where we encounter not only Leonardo da Vinci’s masterpiece but also the woman behind the enigmatic smile. Lisa Gherardini, an ordinary figure for her time, was the mother and wife of Francesco del Giocondo, a wealthy silk merchant who likely commissioned the portrait from the Renaissance genius.
Leonardo, known for his brilliance but also for his tendency to procrastinate, never delivered the painting to the couple. Lisa Gherardini never saw her portrait completed. In fact, it may never have been finished. The relentless perfectionist that Leonardo was, he was always retouching, adjusting, and adding brushstrokes to his creation.
But who was Lisa, the real woman, and not just the figure immortalized on canvas?
A young woman from the noble Gherardini lineage, a family once powerful but now fallen on hard times. For Francesco del Giocondo, an ambitious merchant without noble ancestry, Lisa was a true trophy. He had the money; she had the blue blood. Together, they formed a marriage that reflected the social complexities of Renaissance Florence.
The Florence of Lisa Gherardini vanished over 500 years ago, but walking through the streets of modern Florence, it’s still possible to feel the echoes of that time. The same churches, squares, and alleys that witnessed Lisa’s life are still there, inviting us to imagine what the city was like at the height of the Renaissance.
There isn’t just one Mona Lisa, but many “Mona Lisas,” in the plural.
The painting became so famous as early as the 16th century that countless copies and studies emerged. I recall my visit to the Museo del Prado in Madrid, where I came across one of the “copies” of Leonardo’s work. In that room of the museum, it was the painting that drew the most attention.
The master at the Uffizzi Gallery, Firenze.
One of the museum guides told me that recent examinations using advanced imaging techniques (such as X-rays and infrared reflectography) revealed sketches by Leonardo beneath the layers of paint. Characteristic strokes, made from left to right, and likely with his famous sfumato technique. It is believed that the master worked on both versions simultaneously, creating a kind of dialogue between the two works.
Nothing about the history of this painting or Leonardo da Vinci’s life is dull or uninteresting. Dianne Hales’ book brilliantly captures the essence of this journey into the past, revealing not only the woman behind the painting but also the world that surrounded her.
To dive even deeper into this fascinating era, I recommend reading The Florentines by Paul Strathern. A masterpiece that portrays life in the Florence of Leonardo, Savonarola, and the Medici, offering a rich and detailed panorama of this unique period in history.
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