After centuries of speculation, the mystery surrounding Mona Lisa’s background may have finally been solved. Geologist and Renaissance art historian Ann Pizzorusso claims to have cracked the case and put the age-old debate to rest. Since Leonardo Da Vinci’s brush first touched the canvas, the painting’s origins have fascinated everyone. Over the years, many have raised questions if the background was an imaginary scene or a real place in Italy. Through careful analysis, Pizzorusso suggests that the pleasant town of Lecco, situated near the shores of Lake Como in Italy, could be the possible location. Pizzorusso points towards the similarities between the bridge featured in the painting and Lecco’s historic Azzone Visconti bridge, which was constructed in the 14th century.
Pizzorusso admits that focusing solely on the bridge isn’t enough. Other historians have previously argued that the background might be from the towns of Bobbio or Arezzo, which also have similar bridges. However, the geologist points out that the rocks in Lecco are limestone, matching the grey-white colour Leonardo used in the painting. She claims that this detail is crucial, as it aligns perfectly with Lecco’s surroundings. Pizzorusso further believes that neither Bobbio nor Arezzo has a lake, which makes Lecco a perfect match.
Speaking to The Guardian, Ann Pizzorusso explained, “I’m so excited about this. I really feel it’s a home run. The arched bridge was ubiquitous throughout Italy and Europe and many looked very similar. It is impossible to identify an exact location from a bridge alone. They all talk about the bridge and nobody talks about the geology. Ecologists don’t look at paintings and art historians don’t look at geology. Art historians said Leonardo always used his imagination, but you can give this picture to any geologist in the world and they’ll say what I’m saying about Lecco. Even a non-geologist can now see the similarities.”
For her research on the Mona Lisa painting, Ann Pizzorusso even visited Lecco and followed Leonardo Da Vinci’s footsteps. Historical records indicate that Da Vinci spent majority of his time exploring the Italian town and its northern territories. Meanwhile, Michael Daley, director of ArtWatch UK, praised Pizzorusso’s findings. While many art historians have debated about the painting’s location, her research stands out and it’s accurate. According to Daley, she provided solid evidence of Leonardo’s presence in Lecco, along with the bridge painted in the background. This weekend, Pizzorusso is set to present her findings at a geology conference in Lecco.
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