The Mona Lisa's Twin Painting Discovered
Conservators at the Museo del Prado in Madrid recently discovered that this copy of the Mona Lisa was painted by a pupil working alongside Leonardo da Vinci. Javier Soriano/Getty Images hide caption
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Javier Soriano/Getty Images
Conservators at the Museo del Prado in Madrid recently discovered that this copy of the Mona Lisa was painted by a pupil working alongside Leonardo da Vinci.
Javier Soriano/Getty Images
The Mona Lisa is one of the most enigmatic and iconic pieces of Western art. It has inspired countless copies, but one replica at the Madrid's Museo del Prado is generating its own buzz: Conservators say that it was painted at the same time as the original — and possibly by one of the master's pupils, perhaps even a lover.
Juxtaposing the two paintings — and using infrared technology, which works like an X-ray, allowing one to see beneath the paint to see previous, obscured versions — conservators say that Leonardo and the painter of the replica made exactly the same changes at the same time.
"The changes mirrored the changes which Leonardo made on the original," Martin Bailey, correspondent with The Art Newspaper in London, tells NPR's Melissa Block. "[Conservators] concluded that the two pictures had been done side by side in the studio, and it was probably on easels which were two or three yards away from each other."
The copy brings da Vinci's studio to life — and stirs up questions. Who was this mystery painter? According to Bailey, the artist is likely to have been one of Leonardo's main assistants: Melzi or Salai (who was rumored to have been da Vinci's lover).
Side by side, the pictures look noticeably different: The copy is significantly brighter and more colorful; even Mona Lisa's famously coy smile takes on a new cast.
The original Mona Lisa is on permanent display at the the Musee du Louvre in Paris. Jean-Pierre Muller/Getty Images hide caption
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Jean-Pierre Muller/Getty Images
The original Mona Lisa is on permanent display at the the Musee du Louvre in Paris.
Jean-Pierre Muller/Getty Images
"The original Mona Lisa in the Louvre is difficult to see — it's covered with layers of varnish, which has darkened over the decades and the centuries, and even cracked," Bailey says. "What is wonderful about the copy is how vivid it is, and you see Lisa in a quite different light. I thought her eyes are enticing. And you see her enigmatic smile in a way that you don't quite get in the original."
Bailey says the find will be relevant to historians and laypeople, in that paradoxically, a copy might bring viewers to the original with fresh eyes.
"It is, after all, the world's most famous painting, but people don't look at it fresh," he says. "They look at it almost as an icon. If you go to the Louvre, people aren't actually really looking at the painting; they just want to be in the same room with it. For me, the beauty of the copy is that it actually makes us look at the painting as a painting, and I hope it will have that effect on other people, too."
FAQs
Conservators at the Museo del Prado in Madrid recently discovered that this copy of the Mona Lisa was painted by a pupil working alongside Leonardo da Vinci. The Mona Lisa is one of the most enigmatic and iconic pieces of Western art.
Are there two copies of the Mona Lisa? ›
One of a kind? Actually, there's at least four different versions painted by Leonardo da Vinci and his students. But the one we all know and love is at the Louvre Museum in Paris, France. The others can be found at the Prado Museum and in numerous private collections.
Who are the two people the Mona Lisa could be? ›
In his 1923 book, Leonard de Vinci et les Jocondes, Léon Roger-Milès argues that Leonardo actually painted at least two versions of the Mona Lisa, including one for Francesco del Giocondo, and another for Giuliano de' Medici. According to Vasari, the painting was created for the model's husband, Francesco del Giocondo.
Why are there two Mona Lisa paintings? ›
A number of experts have argued that Leonardo made two versions of the Mona Lisa (because of the uncertainty concerning its dating and commissioner, as well as its fate following Leonardo's death in 1519, and the difference of details in Raphael's sketch—which may reflect that he made the sketch from memory).
Does the Mona Lisa have a twin sister? ›
The copy had been on display at the Madrid art museum for years without experts being aware of its importance.
Who is Mona Lisa in real life? ›
| Lisa del Giocondo |
|---|
| Lisa was portrayed in the Mona Lisa (detail above) by Leonardo da Vinci |
| Born | Lisa Gherardini June 15, 1479 Florence, Republic of Florence, Italy |
| Died | July 15, 1542 (aged 63) Convent of Saint Orsola, Duchy of Florence, Italy |
| Known for | Subject of Mona Lisa |
2 more rowsThe Mona Lisa hangs behind bulletproof glass in a gallery of the Louvre Museum in Paris, where it has been a part of the museum's collection since 1804. It was part of the royal collection before becoming the property of the French people during the Revolution (1787–99).
How much is a duplicate Mona Lisa worth? ›
A replica of Leonardo da Vinci's 'Mona Lisa' has been sold to a European collector for $3.4 million — 10 times its expected selling price.
How old was Mona Lisa when she died? ›
Documents found in a convent suggest that Lisa Gherardini died on 15 July 1542 at the age of 63. Other experts agree that Da Vinci's model could have lived until 1551, when she was 71.
Who is Mona Lisa secret? ›
In 2005 Heidelberg University academics discovered notes scribbled into the margins of a book by its owner in October 1503. These notes state that Leonardo is working "on the head of Lisa del Giocondo". This is seen by some as confirmation that a certain Lisa del Giocondo had been the sitter for the Mona Lisa.
The real Mona Lisa, also known as Lisa Gherardini, was married to a wealthy Florentine merchant named Francesco del Giocondo. They were married in 1495 and had five children together.
Is there a duplicate of the Mona Lisa? ›
One of the versions which survives today is at the Museo del Prado in Madrid, having been in the Spanish royal collection since 1666. Until recently, the figure appeared against a black background and the painting was seen as just another copy of the Mona Lisa.
Who painted the 2nd Mona Lisa? ›
“We have proved beyond reasonable doubt that Leonardo painted two Mona Lisas and this is the only candidate to be the second,” said Joël Feldman, general secretary of the Mona Lisa Foundation, speaking to The Times.
How many Mona Lisas exist? ›
In view of this, it is not at all surprising that Leonardo would have painted two versions of the Mona Lisa. In fact, this practice of making multiple versions of his works, taken together with the extensive historical evidence that is about to be presented, make it extremely likely.
What is the second painting of the Mona Lisa? ›
The so-called "Isleworth Mona Lisa" is considered by some as an earlier version of its famed cousin. It was brought to England in 1778 and acquired by the Montacute family.
Is there another painting under the Mona Lisa? ›
A new study on the Mona Lisa has revealed evidence of a charcoal underdrawing, suggesting for the first time that Leonardo da Vinci used a preparatory sketch to create the famous portrait.
Who is the girl behind Mona Lisa? ›
The woman in the famous "Mona Lisa" painting is believed to be Lisa Gherardini, the wife of a Florentine merchant named Francesco del Giocondo.
