Did Da Vinci Use His Gay Lover as the Model for Mona Lisa? 10.91K Brian Moylan 02/03/11 11:45AM Filed to: Art Art Leonardo davinci The Gays Gian giacomo caprotti Italians Models Appic Tweetg Tweetd Tweetv Fb An Italian researcher claims Leonardo DaVinci used his apprentice and gay lover Gian Giacomo Caprotti as the model for the Mona Lisa, the most famous painting in the world. We did always think her hands were kind of large.