­Mona Lisa's remains found in Florence?

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Published time: July 18, 2012 14:16
Edited time: July 18, 2012 18:16

Scientists claim that they might have found the skeleton of the woman who posed for Leonardo Da Vinci’s most famous painting.

Most art historians agree that Lisa del Giocondo was the woman who inspired Da Vinci to create his iconic work.

Now the archaeologists working in Florence are pretty convinced they have found the remains of the lady, merchant Francesco del Giocondo’s wife Lisa Gherardini.

The skeleton was unearthed beneath the medieval Convent of Saint Ursula in Florence. Knowing she became a nun after her husband died and lived in the convent until her death in 1542, a team of archaeologists began excavation works at the abandoned convent last year.

Archaeologists working in Florence are pretty convinced they have found the remains of Mona Lisa (AFP Photo/Claudio Giovannini)

A female skull along with other fragments of human bones will undergo DNA analysis and compared with the DNA data in the bones of the Lisa Gherardini’s children to establish the truth. If the scientists confirm the DNA belongs to Lisa Gherardini, then specialists will try to reconstruct her face and try to solve the mystery of her smile.

“We don't know yet if the bones belong to one single skeleton or more than one,” archaeologist in charge of the excavation works Silvano Vinceti explains. Yet in his opinion the find confirms, “that in St.Ursula convent there are still human bones and we cannot exclude that among them there are bones belonging to Lisa Gherardini.”

Archaeologists working in Florence are pretty convinced they have found the remains of Mona Lisa (AFP Photo/Claudio Giovannini)

­Mona Lisa is considered to be the most famous painting in the world, and is owned by the French government and is displayed in Louvre. Da Vinci created his masterpiece between 1503 and 1519.

Archaeologists working in Florence are pretty convinced they have found the remains of Mona Lisa (AFP Photo/Claudio Giovannini)