After research and a date with imagination I am glad to present one of my all time favorite works of fiction. Although there are truths here, kindly remember this is FICTION; intended only for fun for you using my quirky mind with the SOLE intent of muddying waters and making you smile. I hope you enjoy it.
For a quick brush-up (pun intended):
Mona Lisa's identity has been suspect for years. In 2005, it was believed to have been uncovered as Lisa Gherardini del Giocondo wife of Francesco del Giocondo a much older silk, wool merchant in Renaissance Florence. The work was commissioned but unfinished and unclaimed. Lisa was an extremely lovely but young bride having been married off at a babyish fifteen to Francesco who accepted a pittance of a dowry for his blushing beauty.
It is implied that Leonardo knew Lisa when she was much younger, as her home was in close proximity to da Vinci's. This also hints that it was more of favor than a commission from the silk merchant looking to mark his territory in the hierarchy of society.
Suggestions have also whispered that Leonardo's long time (rumored) lover and apprentice Gian Caprotti de Oreno served as the model for the facial features; leaving some scratching their heads in uncertainty. Although there is another assistant/companion on record; Melzi, he did not particularly interest me ~ joining the House of da Vinci in 1506, he was the main heir to Leonardo's papers, paintings, works and majority of estate. Theirs is a relationship of less turmoil and fodder, though no less important on an historical or artistic point.
A copy of the Mona Lisa has also been unearthed in Spain with tongue waggings that it came from the Giocondo family archives. The copy was painted at the same time and has less of a veil, allowing the student to see a different background, observe subtleties such as the blanket she holds and see a brighter more defined overall portrait.
I am no expert on the matter. There are many other views, many other facts, arguments, accounts, and perspectives. I cherry-picked and manipulated... remember... this is for fun... and so here we go...
It was to be an heirloom.. In the 1500s, portraits were rare and so to have one conveyed status within the nouveau riche; the merchants. Lisa Gherardini, daughter of a once wealthy family was married off to a much older silk merchant, Francesco del Giocondo. A portrait had been commissioned to Leonardo so he could create a masterpiece. The added benefit was that Leonardo had known Lisa as she grew up not far from his own home, so it was a pleasant, special reunion, indeed. He had been fond of her as a child into womanhood; treasured her from afar and was all too glad to spend time with the exquisite, young model. Their conversation had been instantaneous, light, and fluent. She loved that he sought her "unconventional womanly" opinions and perspectives on the times in their robust, corrupt, and raucous empire. His kind attentions were devoured, cherished and returned and although they were rarely alone due to his apprentice, Lisa was undaunted; unrestricted in her honest affections. Gian was invisible to her; in the beginning.
It was not uncommon for an artist to have an apprentice and for more than two decades Gian Caprotti da Oreno was that to the great da Vinci. He served as a model, companion and suggestions include a tender lover to the artist. Salai, as Caprotti signed his own work, arrived at the House of Giocondo early; prepared the room, the supplies, the model easily; having served as one so often. He understood his mentor's moods, preferences and needs in order to create such incredible works as the world would come to know and treasure. The two spoke not initially ~ the noble woman seeing him as less. But as the hours and the days stretched on and they found each other in company for long periods. Conversation was inevitable and centered around their common and favorite companion; the master.
Lisa was unsure as to when she fell in love with Leonardo. She may have confessed to God that it was always. When he began to seek her out, to speak on less formal occasions and then dared to touch her hand; the married business widow melted to the core. The union of their skin burned like the Phoenix he would send her in the few gifts he bore or the poems she wrote proclaiming her desire. Even though she sinned, she did so willingly and kept the secret from all but her God; even the trusted apprentice did not know of their torrid, passionate affair until it was too late.
Gian matched his ward's painting stroke for stroke; creating a nearly identical copy; one he was sure would stir the kind of praise he found himself craving from his recently neglectful lover. As Leonardo painted and worshiped the young woman, Gian became jealous; noticing all too clearly, the times that his master WOULD have gladly spent an evening with him, discussing future plans, enjoying food and drink; but now, he was put aside for this young girl who flirted shamelessly with da Vinci. The beautiful boy lover was dejected and felt there was only one way to handle such a pathetic competitor. He began to steal again. This was how he came to Leonardo's care in the first place. So angelic were Salai's features, that the artist always defended, took pity and fixed whatever muck Gian created allowing the alluring young man to take spotlight on da Vinci's life's stage. But where once he would commit petty crime and receive lavish attention, not even this seemed to put him at the forefront of Leonardo's affections. He had no choice but to confront her. And so as usual, he arrived early on that day, though instead of setting up, he waited. When the young girl arrived he rushed to her and demanded that she quit the sitting, decommission the project; leaving master and apprentice to their bliss forever. But of course she could not. Her lover was about to discover that she was pregnant with his wonderful child, considering her husband's absence and infrequent conjugal intentions she concluded that it must be Leonardo's. It was the reason for the blanket to be painted across her belly; to hide the beginning bump though she had declared a chill from the drafty room where they worked. Disgusted and hurt, the beautiful young man became loud and childish; throwing a tantrum of galactic proportions which in turn, brought the much older, rarely present husband exploding into the room and upon initial glance, saw only a young poor apprentice molesting an aristocratic noble woman. The struggle wasn't much; though it brought much volume and many crashings as the two tousled about the room. Banished from the home, the beaten young man left, battered and shamed crawling back to the refuge of his ward's residence.
Leonardo was embarrassed and humiliated by his charge's behavior able only to apologize profusely. Such an incident could ruin the Master. The husband at once declared the sitting terminated. The artist and the model soothed and pleaded but to no avail. The irate customer refused to be approached; perhaps shaken by more than the young apprentice's treatment of his young and lovely wife, seeing Leonardo and Lisa argue on such a passionate and united front.
And so it was that the affair that brought so much happiness in this age of Rebirth was killed. Leonardo was not to see Lisa again nor was he to ever discover the birth of their son in 1507, Giocondo, her last child; a son she treasured until her last breath. With the work unfinished and unclaimed, it was left to the inventive, clever maestro to create what would become the most famous painting on Earth. He needed a model to masterfully compliment the already painted, delicate hands of his Lisa, her aristocratic lace, the delicate blanket she had insisted upon for some reason. He used a model he knew well; loved in his own right. He finished Lisa with Gian's appealing, delicate face.
The apprentice was only too elated to sit for his friend, mentor, and love. He had defeated the enemy threatening his livelihood, life and heart; only too proud to smile about it. In the painting, it would be his eyes, nose, lips and smile destroying the impression anyone could have of it being Lisa. He continued to work his rendition of the painting that Leonardo finally finished and secretly sent it to the family as an apology (and vindictive insult to his former nemesis)
After carrying the portrait for years, it was sold to Francois I where it would begin to captivate a people, a nation, later a world. It is described as innocent, lovely, and mysterious. But with such a tumultuos history, it does stir curiosities about the final portrait. Was it the original model's gentle smile directed at her love for the child they so passionately created or was it the spiteful smirk of the jealous, childish student?
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CITATIONS:
http://www.npr.org/2012/02/02/146288063/painting-sheds-new-light-on-the-mona-lisa
http://arthistory.about.com/od/leonardo/ig/Art-in-The-Da-Vinci-Code/Portrait-of-Leonardo.htm
http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2014/08/09/the-life-of-lisa-gherardini-del-giocondo-the-most-likely-real-mona-lisa.html
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1352915/Mona-Lisa-model-man-Was-Leonardo-da-Vincis-male-apprentice-model.html
http://www.mrdowling.com/704-social.html
https://www.google.com/search?q=leonardo+da+vinci&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a&channel=nts
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