Scientists believe the subject of Leonardo da Vinci's Renaissance masterpiece, the Mona Lisa, may have been going bald after spotting hidden clues in the painting. The new theory centres on Lisa Gherardini, the woman depicted in the 16th-century portrait, who may have suffered from alopecia areata.
Hidden Clues in the Painting
Dr Luigi Laino, of the Institute of Dermatology and Trichology, highlighted the Mona Lisa's seemingly receding hairline and missing eyebrows and eyelashes. Writing in Clinics in Dermatology, he said: "I propose that the most contemplated face in the history of art be recognised for what, clinically, it has always shown: a young woman with alopecia areata."
Alopecia is a broad term for hair loss, while areata refers to a specific cause. It often leads to bald patches on the scalp but can also affect eyelashes, eyebrows, beard, or the body. In some cases, it can affect the entire scalp (alopecia totalis) or the whole body and scalp (alopecia universalis).
Possible Triggers in Lisa's Life
Lisa, who was wed to a Florentine silk merchant, is believed to have married Francesco del Giocondo when she was 15 and was 24 when the painting was created. Only months earlier, she had given birth to their fifth child but would sadly lose two. Dr Laino pointed to these aspects of her life, as well as to the fact that she lived at a time when bubonic plague was rampant. Stress can be a trigger for alopecia areata, although the NHS says this link "may be coincidental".
Earlier Theories on Hair Loss
Completed in 1519, the painting was previously thought to depict features typical of the period. However, it would not be the first time alopecia has been considered. In 2019, a study in the British Association of Dermatologists' journal Clinical and Experimental Dermatology suggested the subject had signs of frontal fibrosing alopecia (FFA).
The Belfast team behind the study stated: "This is the first report of features consistent with frontal fibrosing alopecia (FFA) found in the Mona Lisa: namely high forehead, receding frontotemporal hairline, and lack of eyebrows." The Belgravia Centre, a central London hair loss group, describes FFA as a permanent hair loss condition that usually affects only women and belongs to a group known as cicatricial alopecia.
Another theory for Lisa's lack of hair is "pseudoalopecia" – false or simulated hair loss for beauty purposes. Belgravia says this involved shaving or plucking women's eyebrows and hairlines to give the impression of a larger forehead, designed to make "women look more intelligent".
