This is a typical example of my early drawing. It began as a gestural sketch for fun and took on a life of its own. My Mona Lisa looks more German than Italian.

I went to the Louvre in 1992 and saw the painting by Da Vinci which was small and dark. What was more impressive than the painting was the pleasure felt by the visitors you could see in their faces and hear in their voices, regardless of which language they spoke. It was a bit like kids� faces opening presents.

What I loved about Leonardo Da Vinci was his breadth of talent and perception. My favourite among his portraits was one of Beatrice D�Este. There�s just something mad and ironic about the Mona Lisa, but it remains an enigma.