In the lower house of the Italian parliament, in the Palazzo Montecitorio, a unique painting is kept, which, like two drops of water, resembles the most mysterious creation of the great Leonardo da Vinci, the Mona Lisa.

The work, entitled Gioconda Torlonia (formerly owned by the noble Torlonia family), was transferred to the Chamber of Deputies from the Palazzo Barberini, the National Gallery of Ancient Art, in 1925. For almost a century, the painting was considered not the most successful copy of the Mona Lisa, which has no particular artistic value. At some point they completely forgot about her.

The turning point in the fate of the canvas was 2019, when a whole series of cultural events took place dedicated to the 500th anniversary of the death of Leonardo. In preparation for one of the anniversary exhibitions in Rome, the experts literally looked at the picture with different eyes. Thus, according to the authoritative art critic Cinzia Pasquali, who is considered one of the leading "leonard scholars", "the picture is very interesting, and it cannot be ruled out that it was Leonardo who participated in its creation." Her colleague, the curator of the exhibition "Leonardo in Rome" Antonio Forcellino, echoes her.

“This is an incredible and precious painting, it can cost at least 10 million euros. I think that da Vinci may have touched it or, in any case, it was made under his gaze,” the art critic believes. It is expected that as early as March, the re-evaluated canvas will be exhibited to the public in the building of the Chamber of Deputies.

bbabo.Net