The Da Vinci Codicil

La Gioconda’s enigmatic smile has puzzled critics from the first review for none could grasp her air of playful guile. Her sombre eyes belie the smile, it’s true; the stately pose keeps dignity, and yet amusement at Da Vinci still shines through. Is she a prank deliberately set by Leonardo’s cunning hand, in joy? It’s certainly a smile we can’t forget. The maestro’s been suspected of a ploy that camouflages gender in his art; perhaps his Lisa really is a boy? Is this the joke they shared right from the start, that Gioconda’s model held his heart?