

PROPERTY FROM A PRIVATE COLLECTION
Although the modern-day fame surrounding the Mona Lisa today did not arise until the twentieth century, the painting long served as an illustrious model of the Renaissance ideal from a very early age. The numerous copies made after it are a testament to its timeless appeal. Some of the earliest known copies include the panel in the Prado museum, which is thought to have arisen in Leonardo's workshop.2 Some copies, like the version in the Walters Art Museum in Baltimore, record the vestigial columns that were removed from the original composition at an early stage.3 Another example can be found in the Walker Art Gallery in Liverpool.4
A note on the provenance
It is believed that this work hails from the collection of the Pistoj family, an old aristocratic family from the city of Pistoia that dates back to the fourteenth century. From their noble lineage arose a number of prominent intellectuals, diplomats, civic officials, military officers, and magistrates, and they remained preeminent in Tuscany well into the 19th century. It is said that the present work remained in that family for over 260 years until the passing of the last descendant.
1. Oil on poplar panel, 77 by 53 cm., inv. no. 779.
2. Oil on walnut panel, 76.3 by 57 cm., inv. no. P000504.
3. Oil on canvas, 79.3 by 63.5 cm., inv. no. 37.1158.
4. Oil on poplar panel, 82 by 56.5 cm., inv. no. WAG2785.