Monna Elisabetta – is the protagonist of the tale.

She must choose between love and duty, and learns that happy moments can come out of the ruined ashes of misfortune. Through brief encounters with Giuliano, Elisabetta falls in love but when her mother dies and her father quickly remarries, it is arranged that she marry the new wife's brother-in-law. He introduces her to the son of Lorenzo, Giuliano de Medici, who nicknames her 'Mona Lisa' and is responsible for bringing out her famous smile. When she attends the funeral of one of Florence's most powerful men, Lorenzo de' Medici, she meets Leonardo da Vinci, who declares that one day, when she is ready, he will paint her. Set in Renaissance Florence, it follows Elisabetta's life up to the moment she models for da Vinci's painting, and suggests the secret behind her famous smile.Īs a budding only daughter of a wealthy silk merchant in Renaissance Italy, Elisabetta finds herself on the brink of an inevitable arranged marriage, but she longs for love. Some historical figures enter the plot, including Leonardo da Vinci and members of the famous Medici family. Ages 12 up.The Smile (2008) is a Young Adult novel by Donna Jo Napoli that details a slice of the life of Monna Elisabetta, better known as the Mona Lisa. The historical detail and the romantic tragedy and redemption will prompt a closer inspection of Leonardo's masterpiece. Napoli (Stones in Water) conjures the atmosphere of Renaissance Florence as Elisabetta, a country girl, is introduced to art, culture and conspicuous wealth during her trips to town.

It's unsettling.' Yearning for Giuliano de' Medici, youngest son of the most powerful and influential Florentine family, she reluctantly agrees to marry another man when political upheaval tears her and Giuliano apart years later, fleetingly reunited, Giuliano commissions Leonardo to paint her portrait. As though nothing will really surprise you. First met when she is just shy of 13, she is shepherded through Florence by her family friend Leonardo, who recognizes her potential: 'Mysteries promise in those limpid eyes,' he tells her, 'as though you're watching and waiting.

Readers will immediately warm up to Elisabetta, who is down-to-earth and hardworking despite being a member of the nobility. One of the great mysteries, the secret of Mona Lisa's smile, is captivatingly addressed in this fictional history of the woman who posed for Leonardo da Vinci's famous painting.

The smile book donna jo napoli