The Strange Journey of a Da Vinci

Although Leonardo’s “Mona Lisa” is the artist’s most famous painting, it may not be his most intriguing, accomplished or beautiful. It may not even be his best portrait. A strong contender in that last category is “Lady With an Ermine” (ca. 1490), whose subject has been identified as the Milanese noblewoman Cecilia Gallerani, probably around 16 years old when she sat for her portrait.