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[Ben Morales]

http://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-35031997

An image of a portrait underneath the Mona Lisa has been found beneath the existing painting using reflective light technology, according to a French scientist.

Pascal Cotte said he has spent more than 10 years using the technology to analyse the painting.

He claims the earlier portrait lies hidden underneath the surface of Leonardo's most celebrated artwork.

A reconstruction shows another image of a sitter looking off to the side.

The Louvre Museum has declined to comment on his claims because it "was not part of the scientific team".

...

It works by "projecting a series of intense lights" on to the painting, Mr Cotte said. A camera then takes measurements of the lights' reflections and from those measurements, Mr Cotte said he is able to reconstruct what has happened between the layers of the paint.

The Mona Lisa has been the subject of several scientific examinations over more than half a century. More recent techniques include infrared inspections and multi-spectral scanning.
But Mr Cotte has claimed his technique is able to penetrate more deeply into the painting.

He said: "We can now analyse exactly what is happening inside the layers of the paint and we can peel like an onion all the layers of the painting. We can reconstruct all the chronology of the creation of the painting."

Will Gompertz, Arts Editor

I'm sceptical. It's perfectly common for an artist to overpaint an image as it is for a client who's commissioned that artist to ask for changes. So it's not surprising that there are those underpaintings on the Mona Lisa.

The data that the technology generates is open to interpretation, which needs to be analysed and corroborated by the academic and curatorial community, and not just an individual. I think the Louvre's decision not to make a comment is telling.

This is the world's most famous painting which, like a celebrity, always makes for a good story. But in this case I think caution is required.

 

[Walter White Walker]

I love the size of the Mona Lisa behind him. The real thing is way smaller.
As for what he's claiming I don't know enough about that stuff to say one way or the other.

 

[Savitar]

Also the plot in an Elseworlds Batman comic many years ago.

 

[BobTheFork]

 

[Raist]

It works by "projecting a series of intense lights" on to the painting

Not sure how he was allowed to do that.

 

[Timedog]

The mona lisa isn't even that cool. I'm gonna karate chop a hole into the canvas of the Mona Lisa.

 

[spindashing]

 

[brawly]

/dead

 

[BlackGoku03]

I didn't know it was so small when I saw it. They wouldn't let us take flash photography either... not sure how this guy got to shine numerous lights on it.

 

[Fuchsdh]

Honestly I liked the version behind him more than the real thing.

I don't get why this is particularly newsworthy, though. They've been finding earlier drafts of paintings underneath for a while now, and it's not crazy for an artist to reuse his canvases as they point out. Whether or not there's enough information to resolve such a precise rendering of the differences is another question.

 

[rtcn63]

Maybe the artist reused a canvas?

 

[TheKaeptain]

So the canvas got reused? Happens all the time. It's a good way to draft.

 

[Cosmo Clock 21]

 

[TheRealTalker]

 

[adamsappel]

The mona lisa isn't even that cool. I'm gonna karate chop a hole into the canvas of the Mona Lisa.

Maybe the artist reused a canvas?

So the canvas got reused? Happens all the time. It's a good way to draft.

The Mona Lisa is painted on wood.

 

[Ganzlinger]

This guy smells fishy.

 

[Big Dog]

Honestly I liked the version behind him more than the real thing.

I don't get why this is particularly newsworthy, though. They've been finding earlier drafts of paintings underneath for a while now, and it's not crazy for an artist to reuse his canvases as they point out. Whether or not there's enough information to resolve such a precise rendering of the differences is another question.

Came to see this posted. Case closed here.

 

[TheKaeptain]

The Mona Lisa is painted on wood.

You can still paint over it right?

Spoiler

That's the second time in my life I forgot it was painted on poplar. At least I didn't lose 10 points on a test this time.

 

[PeskyToaster]

You can still paint over it right?

Spoiler

That's the second time in my life I forgot it was painted on poplar. At least I didn't lose 10 points on a test this time.

First it was ten points then embarrassment amongst the NeoGAF art community. Each time you forget it will cost you more.

 

[Raven117]

I love the size of the Mona Lisa behind him. The real thing is way smaller.
As for what he's claiming I don't know enough about that stuff to say one way or the other.

First post nails it.

The Mona Lisa is actually a fairly small painting.

 

[BronsonLee]

Oh shit it's viral ads for National Treasure 3: The Tomb Of Idols

 

[sangreal]

it's dogs playing poker. I've seen this one before

 

[Henkka]

That doesn't look like another painting, just an early version of the Mona Lisa. He then painted over it, making improvements and changes, just like what happens with every painting.

 

[Jason Frost]

 

[BamfMeat]

I half expected this underneath -

Edit: Even better :

 

[Chezzymann]

So much work for a rough draft of the painting

Which is still kinda cool

 

[ratcliffja]

Mona Kappa? Kappa Lisa?

 

[zeemumu]

You know it's true.

 

[ElTorro]

Time well spent.

 

[Mr Waluigi]

Interesting findings, honestly. Have any other "drafts" of famous paintings been found using this method?

 

[Monocle]

Ohh neat it's like a scratch-off game. Scrape that shit and reveal the hidden picture!

 

[hobozero]

Did they spot the felt tip writing?

 

[Fury451]

How cool!

I believe there's one under one of Picasso's 'blue period' pieces too.

 

[DrSlek]

I love the size of the Mona Lisa behind him. The real thing is way smaller.
As for what he's claiming I don't know enough about that stuff to say one way or the other.

That was the most surprising thing about it when I saw it last year. It's so small.

 

[TheKaeptain]

First it was ten points then embarrassment amongst the NeoGAF art community. Each time you forget it will cost you more.

Stop art-shaming me!

 

[bodyboarder]

 

[Grizzlyjin]

Sounds like bullshit. Be cool if it ends up being true

 

[SpacePirate Ridley]

I always loved how Raphael's mona lisa sketch is more manga like lol
Raphael was such a good guy, its a pity he died so young.

 

[Secret Fawful]

Was this the image they discovered underneath?