Her enigmatic smile has been a mystery for centuries, but new research claims we should be saying "HIS smile," when talking about the Mona Lisa.
The Italian research team that claims to have uncovered new hidden symbols in Mona Lisa's eyes have announced an even more controversial discovery: they have determined the identity of the mysterious model, and it was a man.
The identity of the woman depicted in the painting has long been the subject of debate. Silvio Vinceti, the leader of the art research team, has declared that the inspiration behind the portrait was never a woman to begin with- the model was in fact da Vinci’s apprentice (and possible lover) Salai.
Salai worked with Da Vinci for 25 years and is thought to have served as the model for several other works. Vinceti describes their relationship as “ambiguous.” His studies assert that comparisons of the Mona Lisa with the other paintings Salai modeled for reveal prominent similarities.
But many in the art world are disputing Vinceti’s claims. In particular, the Louvre, which currently posses the famous painting, is challenging the new research. The museum has performed its own extensive studies of the masterpiece and points out that Vinceti has never actually been allowed access to the original painting.
Vinceti's only counter-argument? The museum is merely embarrassed to have missed all the new discoveries his team has unearthed.
