The Art Mysteries series examines several highly regarded masterpieces in an attempt to unravel the mysteries that surround them. Edited by Marco Carminati and Stefano Zuffi, they present an up-to-date and spectacular reading of famous paintings, investigating key clues to previously unknown background information. According to a recent survey, Leonardo da Vinci's Mona Lisa, the Louvre masterpiece, is still considered the most famous painting in the wrold; and yet, despite popular acclaim is still shrouded in shadow and mystery. Who is the women in the portrait? Why does she seem to be smiling at us? Why did Leonardo never finish nor sell the painting? Why is it now in France? These and other questions make this book a compelling read. Following the story of the Mona Lisa, we'll travel from luxurious Florentine palazzi to the magnificence of Versailles, from the austere rooms of the Louvre to World War II air raid shelters. Not to mention the sensational theft that, in 1911, had the whole word waiting with bated breath... Contents: The Most Famous Painting in the World; A First Glance at a Simple Poplar Panel; Who is la Gioconda? Where, When and For Whom was it Painted?; The Mona Lisa's Travels: from Fontainbleau to the Louvre; Interpreting the Mona Lisa: 'Femme Fatal' or 'Smiling Angel'?; The Theft; Mona Lisa Superstar; The Secret of the Illustrious Misunderstood; Mona Lisa; Leonardo da Vinci: His Life and Times. AUTHOR: Marco Carminati graduated with a degree in Medieval and Modern Art History at the Universita Cattolica in Milan in 1986. A professional journalist, since 1990 he has been head of the art, architecture and cultural heritage section of the 'Domenicale', the Sole 24 ORE's Sunday cultural supplement. He has written monographs on Italian Renaissance painters (Piero della Francesca, Cesare da Sesto, the illuminator Master BF), and on Leonardo Da Vinci's Mona Lisa. He recently published Il Davide in Carrozza (Milan, 2009); the first history of the fantastic adventures of works of art while being transported. 21 colour illustrations
