She noted that the rocks in Lecco are limestone and that Leonardo depicted his rocks in a grey-white colour – “which is perfect, because that’s the type of rock that’s there”. She added that, unlike Lecco, neither Bobbio nor Arezzo has a lake: “So we have really perfect evidence at Lecco.”
Her previous Leonardo research has involved studying both versions of the Virgin of the Rocks – the one in the Louvre in Paris, and the replica in the National Gallery in London. Until 2010, the National Gallery believed the one it had was mainly the work of assistants but, after restoring it, declared it possible that Leonardo painted all the picture himself.
Pizzorusso’s analysis of the vegetation and geology in the landscape around the central figures revived the debate. She concluded: “The botany in the Louvre version is perfect, showing plants that would have thrived in a moist, dark grotto. But the plants in the London version are inaccurate. Some don’t exist in nature.”
She noted that Leonardo had always impressed on his students the importance of depicting nature accurately. For her latest Mona Lisa research, she visited Lecco, tracing Leonardo’s footsteps: “We know from his notebooks that he spent a lot of time exploring the Lecco area and the territory further north.”
Michael Daley, director of watchdog ArtWatch UK, said of Pizzorusso’s findings: “Because she has bona fide scientific knowledge, when she notices things in Leonardo – the most scientific artist ever – they’re momentous.
“Art historians all speculate on where the Mona Lisa was painted. Anybody who sees a bridge thinks it was there. But Pizzorusso has compellingly pinned down the location with proof of Leonardo’s presence in the area, its geology and, of course, a bridge.”
Jacques Franck, a former Leonardo consultant to the Louvre, said: “I don’t doubt for one second that Pizzorusso is right in her theory, given her perfect knowledge of the geology of the Italian country – and more precisely of the places where Leonardo travelled in his lifetime, which could correspond to the mountainous landscape in the Mona Lisa.”
This weekend Pizzorusso will present her evidence at a geology conference in Lecco.
“I am actually euphoric about these findings – and there is a near-certain possibility that Leonardo painted [the landscape] from the exact spot where we are holding our conference,” she said.
Mona Lisa painting
Mona Lisa, also known as Jocund’s Smile, is a bust of a young woman painted by the Italian Renaissance painter, sculptor, architect and scientist Leonardo da Vinci . The most famous, the most visited, the most written, the most read, the most sung, the most mocked and the most stolen work of art in the world, it is considered by many people to be the pinnacle of fine art.
The Mona Lisa is painted in oil on sapwood and depicts a woman with a delicate smile, sitting on a chair, gazing at the vista of an imaginary landscape. This painting has been praised for its subtle shading (sfumato) and skillful use of aerial perspective that evokes a sense of depth and space.
Characteristics of Mona Lisa painting:
* Name: Mona Lisa (Joconde’s Smile)
* Artist: Leonardo da Vinci
* Date of creation: between 1503 and 1506
* Medium: oil on sapwood
* Dimensions: 77 x 53 cm
* Location: Louvre Museum, Paris, France
Interesting facts about Mona Lisa painting:
* The identity of the woman depicted in the Mona Lisa painting is not definitely known.
* This painting was stolen from the Louvre Museum in 1911, but was recovered two years later.
* Mona Lisa has been subjected to numerous attacks throughout history, including stone throwing, acid and cake.
* The painting is currently protected by bulletproof glass and is on display in a separate room at the Louvre.
The Mona Lisa is not only a unique work of art, but has become an icon of popular culture, fashion and tourism. The painting has been featured in countless movies, songs, books, and other forms of media.
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