Was the Gioconda sick?

1991/07/01 Elhuyar Zientzia Iturria: Elhuyar aldizkaria

• Osasuna
• Historia

After long comparisons, two Lyonese doctors claim that Gioconda had atrophy in the right part of the body.

So far four hypotheses have been formulated to explain Gioconda's mysterious smile. For some, facial paralysis, schizophrenia in the judgment of others, was a man in the form of a woman and, finally, some say it is self-portrait of Leonardo da Vinci.

The researchers were Jean-Jacques Comtet, specialist in manual surgery, and Henry Grappo, specialist in emergency orthopedic. These commissioned the sculptor Alain Roche to make the bust of Gioconda with marble.

After a thorough study of the statue, it was observed that the right hand was swollen in front of the first metacarpus. This could be due to the tetanisation or atrophy of a muscle.

The right hand is above the left and while it is in the form of contraction, the other hand is completely relaxed. After collecting this and other data, researchers have decided that the right part of the body is atrophied. They also add that this atrophy has been genetically transmitted.

However, the work has not yet been completed. Soon the scanner will be used, so more news will have to be expected.