The Mona Lisa by Leonardo da Vinci is perhaps the most famous painting in the world. Even hundreds of years later, the mysteries surrounding this masterpiece remain largely unsolved.
More than 500 years after Leonardo da Vinci painted the “Mona Lisa”, a scholar believes she has shed light on the context of one of the world’s most renowned artworks.
The landscape behind the Mona Lisa has sparked endless debate, with some art historians arguing that the scenery is imagined and idealized, while others suggest various connections to specific locations in Italy, NBC News reported on May 16.
The painting “Mona Lisa” by the Italian genius Leonardo da Vinci. (Photo: Ian Dagnall Computing/Alamy).
Now, a geologist and Renaissance art historian believes she has finally resolved the mystery of one of the world’s most famous paintings – the Mona Lisa.
Latest Discoveries About the “Mona Lisa”
Ann Pizzorusso has combined her two areas of expertise to suggest that Leonardo painted recognizable features of the city of Lecco on the southeastern shore of Lake Como in northern Italy.
The Italian geologist has linked the bridge, mountain range, and body of water in the Mona Lisa with the Azzone Visconti Bridge, a 14th-century structure in the city of Lecco, and the southwestern Alps overlooking the area and Lake Garlate – a place known to have been visited by Leonardo 500 years ago.
“The similarities are undeniable,” Ann Pizzorusso stated.
Ann Pizzorusso believes that the artist Leonardo painted recognizable features of the city of Lecco on the southeastern shore of Lake Como. (Photo: Ann Pizzorusso).
Previous hypotheses include a claim from 2011 that the bridge and road in the Mona Lisa belong to Bobbio, a small town in northern Italy; and a 2023 discovery suggesting that Leonardo painted a bridge in the province of Arezzo.
“However, focusing solely on the bridge is insufficient. Arched bridges can be found throughout Italy and Europe, and many look very similar. It is impossible to pinpoint an exact location based on only a bridge,” Ann Pizzorusso remarked.
Ann Pizzorusso noted that the rocks in Lecco are limestone, and Leonardo described his rocks in a gray-white color.
Ann Pizzorusso compared Leonardo’s bridge with the 14th-century Azzone Visconti Bridge in the city of Lecco. (Photo: Ann Pizzorusso).
Ann Pizzorusso’s analysis of the vegetation and geology in the surrounding landscape has reignited the debate.
Michael Daley, director of the monitoring agency ArtWatch UK, commented: “Art historians have previously speculated about the location in the background of the Mona Lisa. Ann Pizzorusso has convincingly identified this location with evidence of Leonardo’s presence in the area and its geology.”
The location of the city of Lecco on the map. (Source: Google Map).
Jacques Franck, a former advisor at the Louvre Museum in France, stated: “I have no doubt for a second that Ann Pizzorusso is right in her theory. Thanks to her perfect knowledge of the geology of Italy – and more specifically the places Leonardo traveled during his life – she can pinpoint the landmarks corresponding to the mountainous landscape in the Mona Lisa.”
This weekend, Ann Pizzorusso will present her evidence at a geology conference in the city of Lecco.
“I am truly excited about these findings – and I am almost certain that Leonardo painted the landscape from exactly the location where we are holding our conference (the city of Lecco),” she said.
“Mona Lisa” – the oil painting on poplar wood by Leonardo da Vinci is likely the most famous painting in the world. Leonardo painted it around 1503 to 1519 while living in Florence, the capital of the Tuscany region of Italy.
The artwork is currently displayed at the Louvre Museum in Paris, France.
The mysterious smile, the lack of eyebrows, and the unverified identity of the Mona Lisa have made the painting an endless source of inspiration and exploration for scholars over the past century.
