The Mona Lisa has long captivated viewers around the world with the mystery that surrounds it, from the subject’s mysterious identity to her ever-present gaze. Now, in early 2024, over 500 years after Leonardo Da Vinci originally painted the iconic masterpiece, one of its biggest mysteries may have been solved.
Ann Pizzorusso, a geologist and art historian from Italy, says she’s identified the background of the portrait: the city of Lecco, nestled along the shores of Lake Como in northern Italy.
For centuries, art historians have debated what location inspired the Mona Lisa’s picturesque backdrop — or if its background is even meant to depict a particular real-world location. However, Pizzorusso says she used her expertise in geology to match the limestone rocks in the painting with the scenic landscape of Lecco.
