New Evidence – The Mona Lisa Died at a Convent in 1542
Written by Amitai Sasson on January 19, 2007
An expert on the Mona Lisa has ascertained that the symbol of feminine mystique died on July 15, 1542, and was buried at a convent in central Florence.
The Italian press reported that a death notice was found in the archives of a church in Florence that referred to “the wife of Francesco del Giocondo, deceased July 15, 1542, and buried at Sant’Orsola.”
While intrigue has surrounded the identity of the woman in the famous unsigned, undated Leonardo da Vinci painting, Lisa Gherardini is widely accepted to have been the subject.
Born in May 1479, Lisa Gherardini is thought to have been the second wife of Del Giocondo, a wealthy silk merchant, with whom she had five children. The Mona Lisa died at the age of 63.
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