Behind the painted smile

When Lisa Gherardini agreed to model for Leonardo da Vinci in 1503, she could scarcely have imagined the impact she would have on art half a millenium later. The portrait has hung in the Louvre since its acquisition by Francis I in in the mid 1500s. Da Vinci presented it as a gift to the French gift on moving to France in the sixteenth century - some gift! The Mona Lisa is probably the one piece of art with which almost evrybody is familiar. Her enigmatic smile has inspired reams of newspaper print trying desperately to decipher what she was thinking. Whatever your own opinion, the portrait is undeniably captivating and continues to be the jewel in the crown of the Louvre in Paris.

It is announced today that plans are afoot to exhume the skeleton of the body believed to be that of Lisa Gherardini. Despite there being no concrete proof that she was indeed the subject for this portrait, the exhumation will carry on regardless in what is fast becoming a somewhat pointless and tiresome trend. The exhumation this year of the body believed to be that of Richard III has created more problems than it has solved. Rival factions have become embroiled in a row regarding where he should be buried. Although a supermarket car park has done the job perfectly well up to now, the Yorkists seem keen to rekindle the flames of five hundred years ago. The value of coins dating from the two year reign of Richard III have subsequently sky rocketed such is the fickle way with which the news is exploited for capital gain.

Not to be out done though, another group of archaeologists have now claimed they have located the final resting place of King Alfred the Great in Winchester. Alfred died in the year 899 ad so you have to wonder just how far back these people seem intent on going to unearth another erstwhile resting monarch. Alfred of course is famed for stopping the heathens from invading. If he went out on any given Saturday night near me, I wonder whether he'd be able to spot the difference? The heathen army were principally made up of Vikings and in the end Alfred had to make peace with them. As such, Wessex remained the only Viking-free part of England for some of his reign. In due course he made amends and the remaining Vikings were confined to East Anglia and Northumberland. Our modern day boroughs are a legacy of the burghs created by this early king. Alfred also recognised and rewarded the advancement of learning.

But back to the Mona Lisa. This picture is no stranger to controversy so it should come as little surprise that these plans are being made to confirm her identity. 102 years ago in 1911, the painted smile was stolen thus giving rise to an international incident. Vincenzo Perrugia was an Italian who in 1913 hid overnight to execute the perfect crime. After keeping the painting in his Paris apartment for two years, he returned to Florence where his deed was discovered after he tried to attract the interest of a Florentine museum curator.

Regardless of its history, we may never know the true identity of the lady who gave us that smile. I doubt very much whether she would be smiling now if she knew of these hopeful plans to prove the identity. Some things are best left and this is undoubtedly one of them.