Leonardo Da Vinci, the creator of the Mona Lisa and, perhaps, the symbol of the Renaissance, was in fact only half Italian, a leading academic has said, claiming the genius' mother was a Circassian slave. According to Carlo Vecce, Da Vinci's mother "at some point in her life was kidnapped, taken away from her country of origin" before meeting Ser Piero Da Vinci in Florence. Speaking at a launch event for his book, 'The Smile of Caterina - Mother of Leonardo', Vecce says "probably the best part of Leonardo is the part that comes from his mother." IMAGES AND SOUNDBITES