Technology Slice Blog

Mona Lisa Model a Man - An expert has claimed to have unravelled the mystery behind the world-famous Mona Lisa painting - saying the model was a man and Leonardo da Vinci's lover. Artist da Vinci has proved an endless talking point for conspiracy theorists looking for hidden meanings in his works. The Mona Lisa's real identity remains shrouded in mystery with a silk merchant's wife, Lisa Gheradini, being seen as the most likely model for the painting. That was until Silvano Vincetti, chairman of the Italian national committee for cultural heritage, made his startling revelation. He said the identity of one of the world's most iconic paintings was a young man called Gian Giacomo Caprotti, also known as Salai. Salai and da Vinci worked together for 25 years and is believed to be the inspiration behind several of the Renaissance artist's works. Mr Vincetti said the artist and his effeminate apprentice had an "ambiguous" relationship. The expert ...