Several theories exist about the identity of the person depicted in the Mona Lisa. One popular theory is that the woman in the painting is Lisa Gherardini, the wife of a wealthy Florentine merchant named Francesco del Giocondo, hence the alternate title "La Gioconda." Another theory suggests that the painting may actually be a self-portrait of the artist, Leonardo da Vinci, in female form. There are also theories proposing that the subject could be a noblewoman, a courtesan, or_
