“Mona Lisa z Montecitorio” has several different nicknames. The disputed copy of the “Mona Lisa” is also referred to as “Gioconda Torlonich”, because that was the name of the rich Italian family, who were the first to include the painting in their collections of works of art. The first reference to the painting in the catalog dates back to 1814. More or less since then, it is believed that the author of the duplicate was the Renaissance painter Bernardino Luini, who created his works inspired by the works of Leonardo da Vinci. In 1892, the painting found its way to the collection of the National Gallery of Ancient Art in Palazzo Barberini, from where it went to the seat of the lower house of parliament in Rome, i.e. the Palazzo Montecitorio in the 1930s.
“Modest Copy” or a sister from Leonardo da Vinci’s studio?
The picture was painted on a wooden board – just like the original “Mona Lisa” or the well-known “Lady with an Ermine”. Experts estimate that it was moved to a stretcher in France in the 18th century. Currently, it is in the Aldo Moro room in the Roman parliament, but previously hung in the office of one of the parliamentarians. In 2019, he also saw the exhibition “Leonardo in Rome: Influences and Heritage” at the Accademia dei Lincei, organized on the occasion of the 500th anniversary of Leonardo da Vinci’s death. The curators of the exhibition, Roberto Antonelli and Antonio Forcellino, had already suggested that the Roman copy could have been created in da Vinci’s painting studio. Forcellino even wrote that, thanks to the analysis of the painting technique, it can be suspected that the master himself probably helped with the copy – the opinion was sensational, but was ignored by the community.
“Mona Lisa z Montecitorio” has been restored by Cinzia Pasquali – one of the most famous art restorers in the world. She has already worked on other works by Leonardo da Vinci at the Louvre – she has carried out the “renovation of the century” in his painting “The Virgin with Child and St. Anne”. He has been working for the Louvre for 25 years and hardly anyone else has had the opportunity to observe the master’s painting technique up close.
As reported, “the restorer emphasizes that the painting is very interesting and does not exclude that” it could have been created in the studio of Leonardo da Vinci. “She also added that he could somehow supervise the work on the copy, as in the case of” Mona Lisa del Prado ” However, she does not imply that it was his work, but she is convinced, like Forcellino, that the painting was created in the 16th century: “I never said that it was painted by Leonardo, but that the way it was made matches the way it was worked. in the 16th century in da Vinci’s studio “- he reports
The art historian Claudio Strinati agrees with the opinion of Antonio Forcellino and the restorer, but emphasizes that although the copy could have been made in Leonardo’s studio, in his opinion “it is an average quality painting, which does not show that da Vinci’s masterful hand was working on it”.
This opinion is strongly opposed by an art critic and parliamentarian, who claims that the copy hanging in the Roman parliament is very “modest”, has no artistic value, but rather “decorative value of the furniture standing in the room”. In his opinion, the picture was created at least 70 years after the master’s death – quotes “Times News”. Art historian Rossella Vodret also claims that the Roman Mona Lisa is a painting of “not very high quality”, while critic Fabrizio Federici in an interview for “Finestre sull’Arte” stated: “It takes my breath away how ugly this painting is. not a drop of Leonardo. “
The case is so engaging that Francesco D’Uva, a member of the Italian Chamber of Deputies, announced that a comprehensive study will be carried out on the painting.
Source: Gazeta
Tristin is an accomplished author and journalist, known for his in-depth and engaging writing on sports. He currently works as a writer at 247 News Agency, where he has established himself as a respected voice in the sports industry.
