Art Historian Silvano Vinceti Claims Male Model Behind Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa

ROME (AP).- A male apprentice, longtime companion and possible lover of Leonardo da Vinci was the main influence and a model for the “Mona Lisa” painting, an Italian researcher said Wednesday. But the researcher, Silvano Vinceti, said the portrait represents a synthesis of Leonardo’s scientific, artistic and philosophical beliefs. Because the artist worked at it at various intervals for many years, he was subjected to different influences and sources of inspiration, and the canvas is full of hidden symbolic meanings. [...]

Italian Researcher Silvano Vinceti Claims He has Found Symbols in ‘Mona Lisa’

ROME (AP).- Forget her smile. An Italian researcher says the key to solving the enigmas of “Mona Lisa’” lies in her eyes. Silvano Vinceti claims he has found the letter “S” in the woman’s left eye, the letter “L” in her right eye, and the number “72″ under the arched bridge in the backdrop of Leonardo da Vinci’s famous painting. According to the researcher, the symbols open up new leads to identifying the model, dating the painting, and attesting to [...]