When the French overthrow Ludovico, Leonardo leaves Milan. In Mantua, he draws Isabella d’Este. The surviving drawing demonstrates a direct artistic relationship. That connection and her prestige have placed Isabella in some theories about the Mona Lisa, although the Louvre portrait points elsewhere.
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People in this chapter
Leonardo da Vinci
Painter, engineer and investigator of nature who worked in Florence, Milan, Rome and France. His service to the Sforza, Cesare Borgia, the Medici and Francis I connects his artistic work with the courts and political networks of his time.
English profile ↗Full profile and sources in Spanish ↗Ludovico Sforza
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Full profile and sources in Spanish ↗Isabella d’Este
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Sources and methodology