Most people talk about the secret of Mona Lisa’s smile, but one historian thinks they’ve solved another mystery surrounding the famous painting.
For centuries, many have wondered about the background of the picture, with only a tiny bridge left as a clue to the location of the landscape behind the woman.
Amazingly though, one historian has used state-of-the-art tech to help him discover the secret location.
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In fact, Italian scholar Silvano Vinceti used a drone to paint a picture about the Mona Lisa’s setting.
Working in collaboration with Le Rocca cultural association, the art historian initially relied on historical documents about a bridge in the early 1500s.
Part of the wealthy Medici family’s estate, the texts showed a Tuscan bridge in 1501-1503 which bore an eerie similarity to the artwork.
Given that the region was the birthplace of artist Leonardo Da Vinci and that the records were made during his lifetime, Vinceti decided to investigate the area.
Having narrowed down the location, he then used a drone to compare the Romito di Laterina bridge with the masterpiece.
After months of careful research, Vinceti now believes that this is the mysterious bridge featured in the iconic artwork.
He explained to Ansa: "It is the Romito Etruscan-Roman bridge, also known as Ponte di Valle, located in the municipality of Laterina in the province of Arezzo.”
Having stood since Roman times though, the bridge is in pretty bad shape.
Vinceti continued: "Only one arch remains of the bridge today, but in the period between 1501 and 1503 the bridge was functioning and it was very busy, as shown by a document on the state of assets on Medici family properties, found in the State archives of Florence.”
Some experts have claimed though that the scholar has painted with broad brush strokes though.
Other scholars have pinpointed other locations for the Mona Lisa bridge, such as the Ponte Buriano on the Arno River and Ponte Vecchio in Bobbio.
However, Vinceti argues against this, saying that the scenery matches the painting and that Romito di Laterina had four arches – making it a better candidate.
He told the press: “The distinctive form of the Arno along that stretch of territory corresponds to what Leonardo portrayed in the landscape to the left of the noblewoman depicted in the famous painting."
Another document examined by the Vinceti also suggests that the artist spent time in the area, often visiting Fiesole – where his uncle lived as a priest.
Talk about making research a fine art, now if he could just work out what Mona Lisa was smiling about...
Topics: World News, Art, Travel
Katherine Sidnell