Product Description

Giuseppe Pallanti, following Giorgio Vasari's lead, bases his work on a meticulous and in-depth review of archival materials in attributing a name to one of the most iconic faces in art history: Lisa Gherardini, wife of Francesco del Giocondo. The author looks beyond the myth enshrouding one of the absolute masterpieces of Leonardo's genius, and gives us Mona Lisa as an authentic and living woman. With his engaging and casual style, he has reconstructed her personal and historical dimension. The revelation of the mysterious identity of the model, hidden up until now and object of the most disparate and far-fetched hypotheses, certainly takes nothing away from the enigmatic quality of that "smile". It becomes even more fascinating to us after we have been immersed in the world of her affections and read her husband's will, palpably imbued with a genuine love for his "cherished wife". The beauty of her spirit now seems even more radiant than the external beauty eternalized by Leonardo.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #558421 in Books
• Published on: 2006-05-02
• Released on: 2006-05-02
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 128 pages

About the Author
Giuseppe Pallanti, a teacher from Florence who has spent 25 years researching the city's archives, has discovered the first clear evidence that da Vinci's family was closely connected to the silk trader, Ser Francesco del Giocondo, who married Lisa Gherardini in 1495. He has been praised by other scholars for helping to solve the Mona Lisa mystery.

Customer Reviews

Mona Lisa
As a history buff, the info on Mona Lisa's life was interesting. I enjoyed the information on her and her family and how she may have come to be the subject of this Leonardo painting.