Louvre: The Mona Lisa Is Deteriorating

AP ^ | April 26, 2004

[presidio9]

The Mona Lisa (search), Leonardo da Vinci's masterpiece of a mysterious woman with a slight smile, is deteriorating, and the Louvre Museum (search) said Monday it will conduct an in-depth technical study to determine why.

The thin panel of poplar wood that the work is painted on has become deformed since conservation experts last evaluated the painting, the Louvre said in a written statement. It did not say when the last evaluation was.

The Louvre said the condition of the Mona Lisa was causing "some worry" and that a new study on the state of the work has been launched.

The study, to be conducted by the Center for Research and Restoration of Museums of France, is to better determine what materials the painting is made of and evaluate the painting's special vulnerability to climate changes.

[Bonaparte]

"...while all around were tourists snapping flash photos."

This was the case way back when I was dumb enough to go to Paris and spend my time and money there. If the French were serious about protecting this art, they would forbid all cameras inside their museums. They would require that those cameras be checked with security at the entrance. But they have never done this because they are far more concerned with the money they are making off the Mona Lisa.

[Eowyn-of-Rohan]

My parents were at the Louvre a couple of years ago. People were touching the statue of David

Michelangelo's "David" is in Florence, Italy, last I knew.

[Conservative4Ever]

IMHO..the painting "Girl in the Pearl Earring" by Vermeer is far lovelier.

Red

[SF Republican]

What makes this painting a masterpiece anyway? french marketing

[george wythe]

I have always wondered if there was a colossal inside joke with this painting that only Da Vinci knew.

From my art appreciation class, I remember that Da Vinci broke new ground with his Mona Lisa. Before Da Vince, no major Western painter had combined a landscape and a portrait into a single painting successfully.

If you examine the Mona Lisa, you will realize that Da Vinci was a masterful revolutionary for his time.

Of course, you could say now, "Big deal."

Now even my young niece can combine a portrait and a landscape into a painting, but before Da Vince, that was not done by major Western painters.

It reminds me of Columbus; anybody with a sail boat could try to reach the Americas from Europe, but Columbus was a revolutionary on his time.

[brewcrew]

My bride and I got to see the Mona Lisa in 1989. It was encased in a huge bullet-proof glass thingy. One of my favorite pictures from that trip was the shot my wife got of all the Japanese tourists standing on tip toes taking pictures of the Mona Lisa.

[Dianna]

Michelangelo's "David" is in Florence, Italy, last I knew.

Ooops, apologies to all. I could have sworn my parents said they saw the David. I've checked with my mother and the only "name" she remembers is the Venus de Milo, which no one was touching because it was roped off (and which she said was the MOST amazing thing she has ever seen).

I've asked her to have my dad send me a note, but it was probably the lesser well known statues that wouldn't have been roped off.

[Clemenza]

When I was 15, I snuck a picture of it. Security tried to scold me, but it was too late. Despite the glass partition, the photo came out OK.

[Clemenza]

Your time viewing European art would be better served by seeing Velazquez's works in the Prado instead of queuing up with the tourists to see the most overrated work of art in history. Nevertheless, the Louvre was the highlight of my trip to the overrated city of Paris.

[what's up]

Mona Lisa paved the way for Vermeer who lived over 100 years later.

Leonardo helped break the ground for non-religious art, which allowed painters to be involved in landscapes, portraits of normal people, and a plethora of other subjects.

Mona Lisa may not be beautiful from our modern vantage point, but if considered in its historical context, it is a remarkable painting.

[brewcrew]

Nevertheless, the Louvre was the highlight of my trip to the overrated city of Paris.

Isn't that the truth? We took a night train from Frankfurt, woke up in the Nord train station, and had to fight back the urge to rupe due to the stench of urine as we made our way to the Louvre.

We we were northward bound to the coast before the sun set. What a $#!+hole that city is.

[cyborg]

My mother was disappointed when she finally got to see Paris. She said it reminded her of NYC *LOL*

[Clemenza]

I'm a huge Velasquez fan because he took artistic realism further than anyone before him. His work is still unerving to some, such as the woman I met who called Las Meninas the most grotesque and disturbing work of art she had ever seen.

[sonserae]

I don't even think Le Louvre is worth going to now that they have the Museum de Orsee. My favorite museum of all time...It's in a renovated train station. They took all the impressionist master's work from Le Louvre and put it in that museum...Monet, Degas, Renoir, Van Gough, Gaugin, etc. It's a museum not to miss!

[Clemenza]

Paris struck me as a boring version of NYC. It is also now filthier than NYC (thanks Rudy). Barcelona and London are much nicer cities with better nightlife to boot.

BTW: Has anyone here ever seen the Pompidou Center? I think I built something like that with my tinker toys when I was 5.

[Clemenza]

I agree. A high concentration of art in a much smaller space is more effective than having to plan your entire day (or two) around the Louvre. D'Orsay was a wonderful expereince.

[sonserae]

Oh yeah! Pompidou Center is an eye sore and a half!!!
What were they thinking??? Last year they did have a surrealist exhibit and there were private collections of Dali, Escher, etc. It was AMAZING!!!! Paintings that will never ever again be seen publically. I went to buy a Salvador Dali book at their bookstore and guess what? They had NO ENGLISH versions of ANY book. I think they did that on purpose.

[-YYZ-]

I suspect you're right. When I toured the National Art Gallery in Ottawa some years ago, photography was strictly forbidden. Anyone taking pictures I'm quite sure would have been whisked away by security and desposited outside. As it was the security guards kept a pretty close eye on me and the other two early-20ish guys I was touring it with.

Uh-oh, I mentioned something government run in Canada. Now I'm in for it.

[Paved Paradise]

I wouldn't wish horrors like that on anyone. There are a lot of good people in France, it's just that you won't find them in the cities (e.g. Paris), just like in America, the people in the heartland are very different from the New Yorkers, San Franciscans, etc. although I do believe there are good, decent people everywhere (of course, the scum are everywhere too). Try not to be mean-spirited.

[CoolPapaBoze]

I thought David was in Florence? Was it on loan?