Jesse James
Leonardo da Vinci’s ‘Mona Lisa’ has fascinated art fans since its completion. Its compositional secrets are something of legend, and recently a scientist discovered a never-before-seen sketch beneath the masterpiece. Pascal Cotte has studied the Mona Lisa for over 15 years, beginning his research in 2004. The scientist was allowed to take photographic scans of the work. After examining roughly 1,650 images of the portrait, his findings were published in the Journal of Cultural Heritage in August.
Cotte stated: “The Louvre invited me because I am the inventor of a new very high-resolution, highly sensitive multispectral camera.” He developed a high-tech device called the Lumiere Technology camera. The device utilizes the layer amplification method or LAM, detecting light reflected on 13 wavelengths. The technique allowed researchers to closely analyze details found underneath a painting. ’s camera detected underlying charcoal lines, combining near-infrared photography and infrared reflectography.
The drawing shows a different subject of the Mona Lisa. Cotte’s examination also shows charcoal underlines depicting a hairpin, which was drawn above the woman’s head. The hairstyle was uncommon in Florence, Italy, at the time. This suggests that the original subject may have been an allegorical figure or an “unreal woman, like a goddess,” said Cotte.
Check out a few images of the ‘Mona Lisa’ below and head over to Artnet to find out more. In the meantime, keep it locked with The Culture Curators for more from the art department coming very soon.
Photos via Wikimedia Commons, Courtesy Pascal Cotte/ Artnet News
