Did Leonardo da Vinci paint a nude Mona Lisa? I may have just solved this centuries-old mystery
The Guardian••entertainment
Key Points:
- Increased security at the Louvre has slowed queues, but tourists remain eager to see Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa, a painting renowned for its enigmatic smile and iconic status.
- In 18th-century Britain, a popular engraving depicted a nude version of the Mona Lisa, believed to be based on a painting once owned by Sir Robert Walpole, though this nude version is now attributed to a follower of Leonardo rather than Leonardo himself.
- Evidence suggests Leonardo may have painted a nude Mona Lisa for Giuliano de’ Medici during his time in Rome, supported by a preparatory drawing (cartoon) in Chantilly that closely resembles the nude engraving and shows characteristics of Leonardo’s style.
- Raphael’s painting La Fornarina, featuring
