The medieval story of the forbidden love of an artist and model: Raphael and his Fornarina

Perhaps many consider Leonardo da Vinci an artist who hides the most mysterious and curious facts about his paintings and models. What is the famous “Mona Lisa” worth? Not at all! No less mysterious today is the love story of the artist Raphael and his model Fornarina.
Mysterious model
Who is this girl? Some historical data prove that she was the secret bride of the artist.
Fornarina is the nickname of a girl named Margarita Luti. According to some reports, she is the daughter of a local Baker, Francesco Luti from Siena, who so charmed Raphael that he could not even work! Hence the nickname la fornarina-the little Baker girl. Continue reading →