Regarding the background of Leonardo da Vinci’s painting the Mona Lisa there are already many hypotheses and now comes that of the art historian Vinceti
The Mona Lisa wallpaper is certainly one of the most debated topics in the artistic field in these first months of 2024. Among the various theories that have emerged so far, some say that the panorama behind the Mona Lisa is Tuscany, others say it is Lecco, others still that it is an invented landscape. The news on the work, however, does not end here as a new hypothesis formulated by art historian and writer Silvano Vinceti would explain why a Piedmontese place was painted behind the Mona Lisa.
New hypothesis on the background of the Mona Lisa
There Mona Lisa of Leonardo da Vinci has always been at the center of studies and investigations by scholars and experts from all over the world. This, in fact, is one of the most famous portraits in the history of art and has always been characterized by puzzles and mysteries. For this reason, there are various theories that over the years have attempted to reveal the secrets of Leonardo’s masterpiece starting from its background.
One of the most recent researches is that carried out by the art historian and writer Silvano Vinceti who illustrated his theory in his new book “The landscape of the Mona Lisa between mysteries and suggestions” scheduled for release at the end of May 2024. Vinceti in his writing hypothesizes that the panorama behind the Mona Lisa is the Mount Rocciamelone which is a mountain in the Graian Alps 3,538 meters high and located in Piedmont.
According to what Vinceti tells us, Leonardo da Vinci made one last trip to France in 1517, traveling along what was at the time the Via Francigena near Colle del Moncenisio, a pass between Italy and France. On his journey to French territory Leonardo would have remained amazed by the landscape which surrounded him so much that he later painted it in the Mona Lisa. In particular, he would have been struck by the summit of Rocciamelone and also by a small lake which now falls within the territory of the Municipality of Ferrera Moncenisio.
The other theories emerged in the background of the Mona Lisa
The theory that Silvano Vinceti explained in his book on the landscape behind the Mona Lisa was also studied by him with the help of shots taken with the drone, historical evidence and map. Some time ago, however, the historian, working with the La Rocca cultural association, had hypothesized that the bridge behind the woman was the Romito bridge in Laterina in the province of Arezzo.
More recently, at the beginning of May 2024, the theory of was published by the Guardian Ann Pizzorusso who combined his two areas of expertise, namely art history and geology. According to what he analyzed, the greyish-white rock behind the area would be typical of the limestone compositions of the Lecco area and the bridge would be the Azzone Visconti Bridge of the 14th century.
The art historian also thought about confirming this hypothesis Greg Sereda who, instead, reasoned on linguistics. According to him, since Leonardo was a very intelligent man, there is a correlation between the emblematic smile, the grin, that the Mona Lisa has on his face and the panorama behind him. The word sneer in Lecco dialect it is called “grigna”, a term that seems to recall the Northern Grigna and the Southern Grigna, a mountain range that rises north of Lecco
