Posted on 09/24/2020 6:46:55 PM PDT by nickcarraway
LEONARDO DA VINCI's masterpiece the Mona Lisa has captivated art lovers for centuries - but now, a scientist who analysed every inch and layer of the famous portrait has discovered hidden details beneath the painter's brushstrokes.
The early 16th Century painting is arguably one of da Vinci’s most famous works and currently resides in the Louvre, in Paris. It’s estimated that 80 percent of their annual 10.2 million visitors attend to see the Mona Lisa. Scientist Pascal Cotte was asked to digitise the painting using a specialist camera, which was able to capture hidden layers beneath the portrait. From his multispectral analysis, he discovered a number of surprising details that could shatter previously held beliefs about the remarkable work.
The early 16th Century painting is arguably one of da Vinci’s most famous works and currently resides in the Louvre, in Paris. It’s estimated that 80 percent of their annual 10.2 million visitors attend to see the Mona Lisa. Scientist Pascal Cotte was asked to digitise the painting using a specialist camera, which was able to capture hidden layers beneath the portrait. From his multispectral analysis, he discovered a number of surprising details that could shatter previously held beliefs about the remarkable work.
Mr Cotte spent a decade analysing more than 1,650 images, which give intricate insight into the Mona Lisa and how da Vinci was able to create it.
He used his pioneering Layer Amplification Method (LAM) on images taken by a multispectral camera that was able to detect light reflected on 13 wavelengths – to capture the interaction between light and matter.
In the layers, he discovered a technique called spolvero had been used, which would have allowed the Italian Renaissance painter to transfer a sketch to his wooden canvas using charcoal dust.
The markings, which suggest the piece was not entirely freehand, had been discovered in other da Vinci works too.
Beneath the Mona Lisa, spolvero marks were found along the hairline and the hand, although that is not the only thing he discovered.
Just to the right of her forehead he noticed what appeared to be the top of a hairpin – a small detail that presents more questions about the work.
Mr Cotte told Express.co.uk: “This hairpin in the sky just to the right of Mona Lisa's head cannot belong to a portrait of a person because in the city of Florence this was not the fashion at the time.
“People had to be dressed in certain ways to denote their profession and for nobility respecting the colours.
“It is not possible for Mona Lisa to have hair like this, it was impossible of the time in the city of Florence.”
Mr Cotte claims this type of hairpin is more typically used for an “unreal woman like a Goddess”, as an allegory for justice or goodness, or in a painting of the Virgin Mary.
The reason for the hairpin, which was marked freehand in charcoal, will remain a mystery but it is speculated that it could have been part of another project entirely.
Mr Cotte suspects two previous works could have preceded the final Mona Lisa observed by the public today.
The spolvero marks along the forehead reveal that da Vinci did change the position of the woman’s head and her hand.
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White privilege
She needs lotion, her forehead looks ashy...
Definitely asymptomatic.
It was a freehand drawing that da Vinci transferred to his board, much like tracing a drawing with carbon paper today. As an artist, I really don't like this idea of close inspection to see how an artist achived what he did. Just look at the finished painting, it's a masterpiece.
Interesting.
That’s how they caught Harvey Weinstein?
She’s got the “smoky eye” down pat. ;o)
Having seen this a number of times and hearing different guides, as I recall he never stopped working on this piece, it was even beside his bed as he got old and was dying it was still a work in progress.
I remember reading that she had a veil on her head (a Mantilla?) at one point in his painting of her, and the ‘shadow-marks’ on her forehead were from the lace that he later painted out.
Funny the things that pop into your head about these important pieces of art, right or wrong. ;)
Just looks like an Italian broad to me.
Forehead smudge...she coulda washed a little...
how an artist achived what he did - just look at the finished painting
Sorry but I disagree. Was watching a special on William Turners landscapes and the technique he used to make them, it was amazing and fascinating to learn how they were created. I had thought artist just take paint and create the painting, it/his was not done that way at all there was much more to it.
My dear boy, no matter the fashion or stupid dictates you will always find several someones who tell them to go forthwith to a location of extreme heat.
These people are called "originals" and they get away with it because they are individuals. They generally have society at their feet or at their throats and don't give a rip either way.
This is the kind of person that an artist paints because they are interesting.
The hairpin was really a UFO.
They had lot’s of UFOs in art back then.
The discovery is really saying that, Leonardo was painting by the numbers.
Furthermore, the painting is really a painting of himself, where he imagined himself as a woman, and proceeded to give himself womanly facial features in the painting. History does not mention him as being a homosexual, but, historians didn’t want to taint his character.
And very over rated. I was one of the 10 million one year to go see it. I was like really????? I was in and out of the louvre in an hour and 20 minutes. I picked up the top 10 must see in the louvre book and that is what I saw. I can’t believe people spend weeks in there. Definitely not my thing.
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