Diagnostic-analytical study of the painting "Gioconda with columns"

The painting "Gioconda with columns"from a private collection re-proposes a work of art that is "unique" in the art word, in other words, the "Mona Lisa" by Leonardo da Vinci. The presence of the columns represents the most significant distinguishing feature when compared to the "Mona Lisa" housed in the Louvre. Consequently the question arises: "Is the painting "Gioconda with columns" attributable to the genius of Leonardo or one of his followers or is it to be considered a copy of the "Mona Lisa" in the Louvre or the second "Gioconda" or a copy of the latter?" Thus, the investigation is directed towards identifying the constituent materials and characterizing the pictorial technique in order to artistically collocate its execution and contribute to providing a reliable answer based on both a subjective and objective evaluation. For this purpose, the study was conducted with the cooperation of an art historian and restorer, as well as a physicist and a technical diagnostician, thus integrating competences that were able to lead to the final results.