'Mona Lisa' model's burial site found

[The Straight Story]

'Mona Lisa' model's burial site found

FLORENCE, Italy, Jan. 18 (UPI) -- The burial site for Leonardo Da Vinci's Mona Lisa has been found in a former convent in Florence.

Leonardo scholar Giuseppe Pallanti said documents indicate she was buried in the city's former Convent of St. Orsula in the heart of the city, ANSA said Thursday.

"I've pored through thousands of archive pages and I'm convinced the remains of Leonardo's model Lisa Gherardini was buried there," Pallanti said.

Pallanti said his research eliminates doubt about the identity of La Gioconda, as the Italians call the Mona Lisa because of her husband's surname, Giocondo.

"It was her, Lisa, the wife of the merchant," Pallanti said.

It has been suggested that del Giocondo commissioned Leonardo for the painting to mark his wife's pregnancy or the recent birth of their second child in December 1502.


http://www.newsdaily.com/Entertainment/UPI-1-20070118-12014600-bc-italy-monalisa.xml

[LSparkle]

1. Maybe that's why I love Italian food so much ...

She's my twin (and avatar!).

[eleny]

2. Yay!!!

This is very cool.

[Warpy]

3. Men always think the smile reflects her discovery that she is pregnant.

Women recognize it as the smile of discovering she is not pregnant.

Interesting story on finding her, anyway.

[RaleighNCDUer]

4. LOL

And never the twain shall meet...

[dipsydoodle]

6. Most common rumour

was that "she" was a "he" and hence the enigmatic smile. :)

[kimmerspixelated]

8. yeah, that's what I gathered from the Da Vinci Code

or something to the effect also that maybe it was a slight likeness of Leo himself.

[Richard Steele]

10. I always assumed it was because she was doing naughty things with Leonardo.

:shrug:

[xchrom]

5. viva leonardo!

that is sooo cool -- i love that painting -- and i got to see it -- it was crowded.

BUT it is very, very enigmatic and mysterious.

[Swamp Rat]

7. ok

[yurbud]

9. do they have a picture of her yet? Did the Italians bury her the middle layer of a lasagna?