An Italian art historian claims to have solved the mystery of where the painting was painted by identifying the bridge in the background of Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa painting.
Working with the Le Rocca cultural association on the project, Silvano Vinceti examined newly discovered historical documents and compared the existing landscape with the painting using a drone. Vinceti now believes the bridge is in Tuscany.
“This is the Romito Etruscan-Roman bridge, also known as Ponte di Valle, located in the municipality of Laterina in the province of Arezzo,” said Vinceti, speaking to the Italian magazine Ansa. Florence was very busy, as evidenced by a document about the status of assets pertaining to the Medici family estates in the State archives.”
It was previously suggested that the bridge seen in the Mona Lisa was Ponte Buriano over the river Arno or Ponte Vecchio in Bobbio. However, the fact that the Ponte di Valle has four arches makes it a better prospect than other options with six or more arches, and the landscape around the bridge looks harmonious, Vinceti says.
“The distinctive form of the Arno throughout this region corresponds to what Leonardo depicted in the landscape to the left of the noblewoman depicted in the famous painting.”
Although the bridge has now largely collapsed, it served as a shortcut between Arezzo, Fiesole and Florence. Documents examined by Vinceti show that da Vinci often stayed in Fiesole with his uncle, a priest named Amadori or Amadoro.
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