Researchers in Italy have excavated bones in a tomb in Florence in a bid to identify the Renaissance model for Leonardo da Vinci's "Mona Lisa".

 

　　The research team says that the remains in the crypt have an inscribed stone indicating that they belonged to the family of Lisa Gherardini's husband and sons.

 

　　Many believe she posed for Leonardo.

 

　　Silvano Vinceti is the President of the Italian National Committee for Historical, Cultural and Environment Heritage.

 

　　"We have historical certainty that in that tomb there are Lisa Gherardini's descendants. Thanks to this, we will be able to do this DNA test between some of the remains that we previously found and those we found here."

 

　　If the DNA tests positive, experts will reconstruct the woman's skull and compare it to the portrait.

 

　　It is believed that Gherardini's husband commissioned Leonardo to paint the portrait of his wife.

 

　　It took Leonardo 15 years to complete the work, which is now one of the most famous paintings in the world.