Information previously provided by the Prado Museum in 2010, indicated its belief that the portrait was likely painted before Leonardo left Italy for France, which would have meant that it was executed in Rome c.1516. This interesting portrait was first referred to in the 1666 inventory in the Galleria del Mediodia del Alcazar as ‘Mujer de mano de Leonardo Abince’ (‘Leonardo da Vinci’s Handy Woman’). A copy of Leonardo Da Vinci's famous "Mona Lisa" painting is photographed after it was put on display at Madrid's El Prado Museum February 21, 2012. Museo Nacional del Prado, Museo del Prado: pintura italiana anterior a 1600, Gredos, Madrid, 1979, pp. Links outside of the World-Mysteries.com web site (external links) are provided for user convenience and do not necessarily constitute or imply endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by the World-Mysteries.com. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Painted in Leonardo’s studio, it was made with high quality materials, suggesting it was an important work, probably a commission. Sophisticated computer imaging, application of color filters and tonal adjustments were applied in this completely original digital restoration by the author to reproduce the appearance of the original work of art in Leonardo’s time. The Prado said it had no idea of the significance of its copy of the Mona Lisa until a recent restoration revealed hidden layers. Also remarkable in this painting is the clarity with which the transparency of the thin veil fabric is rendered, accentuating the vibrant red of the sleeves. How many major races are there in the world? We encourage you to read the posted disclaimer, privacy and security notices whenever interacting with any Web site. However, it is clear in the digital restoration pictured here that the left arm is resting on a plain wooden armrest with a lathed upright support. Cotte’s work stripped away centuries of restoration efforts to bring the Mona Lisa to life. When I saw the Prado’s version, Mona Lisa was sitting in front of a dark backdrop as if posing for a passport photo, the vivid landscape background under the black paint only uncovered during a restoration a few years later. The fingers of the hand are limp and relaxed, touching the edge of the armrest, and clearly not gripping or holding anything. Certain other elements of the painting have been beautifully rendered, perhaps not quite to Leonardo’s standard, but with exquisite attention to detail nonetheless. Ana González Mozo explains the technical study and the restoration process of the Louvre’s Mona Lisa and the Prado’s copy, in her office in Madrid in March. One such copy at the Prado Museum in Madrid was thought to have been painted years after the original. In it you can see the vivid colors and naturalistic flesh tones that the Renaissance Masters achieved. This lends further credence to the Louvre ‘Mona Lisa’ having been executed in one place at one time, most likely in Rome c.1513-16. Museo Nacional del Prado, Museo del Prado. However, cleaning and restoration is thought to be too risky because the painting is fragile. The astonishing brilliance of color and subtlety of modeling in Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa has been revealed by a remarkable combination of art and science. Recent commentary on other reproductions that are based on scanned imagery include a suggestion that the Mona Lisa holds a blanket that has all but faded from view. As with other copies, the existence of the frill edge at the top of her bodice indicates that this detail was likely once seen in Leonardo’s own work. What the painting does possibly indicate, given the recent findings and expert opinions is that it would have been worked on at the same time as the Louvre version, i.e. The earliest known copy of Leonardo da Vinci's "Mona Lisa" -- thought to have been painted at the same time as the original masterpiece -- has been discovered at the Prado … Indeed, it is highly unlikely that the same follower of Leonardo would have shadowed the master in all his journeys for over a decade in executing this work. The Prado’s Mona Lisa before its restoration, with the black repaint of the landscape background. A landscape background became visible upon restoration; Infrared reflectography and radiography revealed an underdrawing that was the same as the original Mona Lisa, albeit in a different style. Yet, despite all this work, I still look forward to seeing the creepy yellow version. THE MONA LISA FOUNDATION These fascinating findings, coupled with the excellent state of preservation, show the original colours of the Prado painting. After the restoration of the Prado Mona Lisa, in January 2012, a lot of new information was revealed on the matter. However, during restoration of the painting in the early 2010s, which included using infrared reflectology to examine the work beneath the surface, conservators discovered that the painting… The black background was not part of the original painting but had instead been added to the painting as early as the 1700s. Miguel Falomir, heading the Department of Italian Renaissance Painting at the time of the discovery, stated the Prado "had no idea of (the painting's) significance" until a recent restoration. The Importance of the Columns and their Shadows. Mona Lisa’s hair and eyes are depicted in rich chestnut hues with golden highlights. Please be aware that the disclaimer appearing on this page does not apply to these linked sites. ABOUT THE AUTHOR. in the same place and at the same time. A notable feature in the Mona Lisa, according to early written accounts, was the magnificent landscape of the background. But one of replicas has now turned out to be something special. Explore with us lost civilizations, ancient ruins, sacred writings, unexplained artifacts, science mysteries, "alternative theories", popular authors and experts, subject related books and resources on the Internet. Advance information on the study of the Mona Lisa in the Prado Friday, February 3, 2012. It differs strikingly from the other variations. Even the description of this (background) is contentious: “ … the same Tuscan background as in Leonardo’s painting …” Those icy and rocky peaks are surely more reminiscent of the Alps than any Tuscan landscape. Property Value; dbo:abstract: The Prado Mona Lisa is a painting by the workshop of Leonardo da Vinci and depicts the same subject as Leonardo da Vinci's better known Mona Lisa. Sophisticated computer imaging, application of color filters and tonal adjustments were applied in this completely original digital restoration by the author to […] The Prado’s copy of the Mona Lisa, unveiled in Madrid on 21 February, has produced a series of surprises.