The Princess and the Painter
It is arguably the most recognised work of art in the world today.
However, what many people may not have realised until more recently is that the woman at the centre of this famous painting had a history all of her own. Recent studies have shed some interesting light on the story of a young woman who was to become one of the most celebrated models ever committed to canvas.
Her name was Lisa Gherardini and we now know that she was the wife of a socially prominent silk merchant from Florence named Francesco del Giocondo. Apart from the fact that she was his second wife, very little else was initially known about the mysterious woman. Records do show that she was born in 1479, raised at her family’s estate in Tuscany and married del Giocondo in 1495.
New research conducted in 2004 by Italian scholar Giuseppe Pallanti also seems to suggest that Leonardo di Vinci’s father was a friend of Francesco del Giocondo and it was through this association that the portrait was eventually created.
When she sat for the painting, probably around the start of the 16th century, Lisa would have been about 24 years old.
And as the saying goes; the rest was history.
Well at least it was until an Italian genealogist, Domenico Savini, announced earlier this year that he had located Lisa Gherardini’s living descendants in the form of Italian princesses Natalia and Irina Strozzi.
Then suddenly is seemed there was another chapter to be told in this fascinating tale.
The Strozzi’s themselves are no strangers to the media spotlight and their ancestry can be traced back to the days of Machiavelli and the Medici dynasties. They can also count the former British Prime Minister Sir Winston Churchill as a distant cousin and have among their friends outgoing PM Tony Blair and his wife, as well as a whole host of Europe ’s celebrities.
Both sisters are success stories in their own right and just recently I was fortunate enough to meet up with Natalia Strozzi for a fascinating insight into what this latest revelation meant to her and her family.
A bright, attractive and gregarious woman, even at the relatively tender age of 30, Natalia has already enjoyed huge success in her life. Whilst many people of a similar age are just embarking on their careers, Natalia can already look back on her early years as a young ballet dancer (tutored by none other than the peerless Rudolph Nureyev), a flourishing career in acting (a profession she claims she was inspired towards by former family friend and American actor, Gregory Peck) and a best-selling biography.
On top of this she also plays an active role in running her family’s wine business (one of Italy ’s oldest, dating back to 994) and it is a job that tends to take her all over the world.
But as she admitted to me, this latest story to hit the press wasn’t as much of a surprise to her as some might believe.
“The truth is that before the story ever came we already knew about it. In fact it is something my family and I have been aware of for some time. Because we have always been brought up to place humility before pride we never spoke much about it
I guess she had a point. When you can trace your ancestry back to the 14th Century and list the likes of Machiavelli and the Medici’s amongst your ranks of associates, I suppose it seems just like another every day occurrence.
“That isn’t to say that I don’t find the whole thing astonishing because it is an amazing revelation and something that still surprises and amazes us all. The recent media attention has brought it all back to the fore.
“I suppose I have to be grateful that I have such an interesting family tree to “climb about in” when I am looking back on the ancestors that have brought me to where I am today.”
I went on to ask Natalia if she felt any connection to the young Gherardini. Although there was no evidence to suggest her ancestor was an actress, Natalia’s love of the arts has been something that has always formed an intrinsic part of who she is.
“I hadn’t really thought about it but there is a fascinating symmetry to the story. My passion for music and acting has been with me since I was a small child and my sister is also a talented pianist. Perhaps is some strange way, the link that Leonardo had with his muse Lisa has found its way to us through the generations.
“I know it sounds like a romantic notion more suited to a novel than an interview but I do believe that certain traits can be passed down through generations and I would like to think a little bit of Leonardo rubbed off on Lisa and made it’s way down the family tree to me!”
Beyond her association with the painting, only rare scatterings of information remain concerning Lisa Gherardini. Her face may be eternally recognisable but her fate beyond that sitting with the legendary Leonardo is still clouded in mystery.
Giuseppe Pallanti discovered that Lisa and her husband went on to have five children together and that she outlived Francesco, finally passing away on July 15th 1542 at the age of 63. Pallanti believed that she was buried at a convent in Florence called Sant ’Orsola.
As for the name of the painting; Mona was a common Italian contraction of the word “Madonna” meaning “my lady”, the equivalent of the English “madam” so the title of Leonardo’s most famous work means “Lady” or “Madam Lisa”.
The alternative title, La Gioconda, is the feminine of Giocondo, which in Italian means “light-hearted” so “Gioconda” means “light-hearted woman”.
Whilst privately living with the knowledge of having such a famous ancestor amongst their ranks for some time now, it is clear that the recent media interest will change how the Strozzi family deal with this reality in the future.
Certainly Natalia is aware of the difference is could make for her and her younger sister.
“Suddenly people start looking at you differently, making certain associations or assumptions about your personality that they would not have before. All I know is that I am the same person, whoever my ancestors might be. Sure, it makes my history that much richer, counting such a recognisable figure amongst my clutch of ancestors but it won’t change how I am inside.
“If anything, there is an interesting simile to be had from the painting in that this constant, static image has remained appealing to many cultures across numerous centuries; never changing and yet always engaging.
“For me that says a lot about being yourself because remaining true to who you are can get you further than trying to change just to fit into a circumstance. I’m not going to do anything any differently just because of who I am descended from. I am already the person I was meant to be and that is something that was passed down to me by my parents and their parents before them. Lisa Gioconda left her mark on me and my family long before the press ever found out about our association. ”
It was refreshing to hear Natalia speak in such a considered and balanced fashion about a story that has really captured the imagination of the global press. For me it demonstrated that whilst she was clearly proud to be associated with such a prestigious work of art, she was still intelligent enough to realise that you were much more likely to get where you were trying to go to if you kept your feet on the ground.
Of course, before wrapping up our conversation, I had to ask about the family resemblance and whether she or her sister felt they shared any of the features with someone many believe to be the most beautiful women ever painted.
Humble as ever, Natalia gave a little shake of her head and smiled.
“I couldn’t possibly comment. You have seen the picture and you can see me here now so I will let you decide the answer to that one”.
Tue, 10/23/2007 - 11:23 — Natalie Strozzi