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Art historians have been debating this one for centuries. While we can't definitively solve the riddle in 250 words or less, we can summarize the most popular theories. The majority of experts contend that the model was a woman named Lisa Gherardini, the wife of a Florentine merchant. The official site of the Louvre, where the Mona Lisa resides, says the painting is thought to be of Gherardini, but that the
exact identity of the sitter remains unclear. If Gherardini was the model, it's still a mystery as to why Da Vinci took the painting to France rather than giving it to the family who commissioned it. Lilian Schwartz believes the model is really Leonardo Da Vinci himself. She says the Mona Lisa's features align perfectly with Da Vinci's self-portrait. While the two pieces of art do match up well, critics believe this isn't because they're of the same person, but because they were painted by the same person. The book "Mysteries of the Mona Lisa" argues that the model was Da
Vinci's mother. Another theory asserts that the painting depicts Isabella of Aragon, the Duchess of Milan. This family tree features many portraits of the Duchess, and some bear more than a passing resemblance to the Mona Lisa. Many theories, but none strong enough to end the debate. However, if we had to go with one, we'd stick with the first. After all, it's endorsed by the Louvre, and we figure the owner ought to know.
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