<P> Maike Vogt - Lüerssen argues that the woman behind the famous smile is Isabella of Aragon, the Duchess of Milan . Leonardo was the court painter for the Duke of Milan for 11 years . The pattern on Mona Lisa's dark green dress, art critic Maike Vogt - Lüerssen believes, indicates that she was a member of the house of Sforza . Her theory is that the Mona Lisa was the first official portrait of the new Duchess of Milan, which requires that it was painted in spring or summer 1489 (and not 1503). </P> <P> In 2004, historian Giuseppe Pallanti published Monna Lisa, Mulier Ingenua (published in English as Mona Lisa Revealed: The True Identity of Leonardo's Model). The book gathered archival evidence in support of the traditional identification of the model as Lisa . According to Pallanti, the evidence suggests that Leonardo's father was a friend of del Giocondo: "The portrait of Mona Lisa, done when Lisa del Giocondo was aged about 24, was probably commissioned by Leonardo's father himself for his friends as he is known to have done on at least one other occasion ." In 2007, genealogist Domenico Savini identified the princesses Natalia and Irina Strozzi as descendants of Lisa del Giocondo . Scan data obtained in 2004 suggested that the painting dated from around 1503 and commemorated the birth of the Giocondo's second son . </P> <P> In 2011, art historian Silvano Vinceti claimed longtime apprentice (and possible male lover) to Leonardo, Salaì, was the inspiration and figure for the painting . </P> <P> In 2005 Heidelberg University academics discovered notes scribbled into the margins of a book by its owner in October 1503 . These notes state that Leonardo is working "on the head of Lisa del Giocondo". This is seen by some as confirmation that a certain Lisa del Giocondo has been the sitter for the Mona Lisa . However, these notes offer no description of the painting or drawing and could be attributed to any female portrait of that time . </P>

What is the mystery behind mona lisa painting