The student DiCapriovinci was often without funds and unable to hire a model. As a practical alternative he used the inmates of the Florence Home for Wayward Girls. His "Moaner Lisa" also dates from this period, and like that splendid portrait, indicates that Leonard had a difficult time getting his amateur models to take him seriously as an artist. Maybe it was the yellow skin tones. Or the false beard and glasses that DiCapriovinci affected so as not to be recognized when climbing into the back window of the Home for Girls. Whatever the reason, the young waywards were quite demonstrative in their low opinion of him, as this painting shows.

Fennelwrath Angiosperma, the present model, was doing time on a charge of impersonating a prostitute when she posed for her portrait. She later went on to a career as a courtesan and procurer until her marriage to the Mayor of Florence. Despite her elevated station her manners never improved, and she was rarely invited to social functions as she had a tendency after half a dozen goblets of wine to challenge the other ladies to a bout of nude Jello-wrestling.

 

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