We exclusively reveal 25 secrets of the Mona Lisa that lay hidden beneath the surface.
1. The entire poplar board that the Mona Lisa is painted on is visible, including its pictorial layer limits and the gesso preparation, thus proving for the first time that the board was never cut.
2. Restoration has been made to the top of the sky and numerous small alterations can be observed.
3. A split of 11 cm (4.3 inches) in the board has been covered with two superimposed restorations.
4. The head veil consists of two fine layers, sometimes attributed by error as being a cap.
5. The blotch mark on the corner of the eye, as well as one discovered on the chin, is revealed to be a varnish accident. This contradicts the theory that Mona Lisa suffered from high cholesterol.
6. Mona Lisa’s facial expression, particularly the appearance of her eyes, is very different in the original compared with what we see today.
7. The reduction of the cracks on the lips and eyes suggests a probable restoration, or may reflect lightening of the varnish with age.
8. Mona Lisa’s face was originally painted slightly wider than it appears today, showing that today’s painting is no longer perfectly representative of how Leonardo da Vinci originally constructed her features and expression.
9. In particular, her smile is more expressive and more marked.
10. The drawing of the veil has much greater definition than in the aged painting we see today, demonstrating Leonardo’s efforts to underline the border of the veil.
11. We see the transparency of the veil painted onto the landscape by glacis, a glaze painting technique, showing that Leonardo painted the veil after the completion of the landscape and thereby providing insight into the details of the painting’s creation.
12. An invisible interlace appears as further evidence that the veil was painted later.
13. The preparatory drawing of the interlace is identifiable.
14. Lace is also apparent on Mona Lisa’s dress.
15. Some oil pigments have become more transparent with age. This is particularly noticeable in the columns.
16. The preparatory drawings of the left column are revealed.
17. The railing is more clearly defined, showing that it is made of a wood parquet construction.
18. The right armrest and the drawing of the armchair that passes under the veil become visible.
19. We can see the details of the repair of her elbow, performed after a young Bolivian man threw a rock at her in 1956.
20. Leonardo has not quite completed her right hand forefinger.
21. We can see where Leonardo changed his mind as to the position of the index and the middle finger of the left hand.
22. The blanket that covers Mona Lisa’s knees passes under her right wrist. This explains the elevated position of her forearm and bent wrist, as they are supporting the cover on her stomach.
23. The fingers of the left hand hold the blanket on her knees, as we can see from the position of the pleats of the blanket relative to her fingers.
24. The small columns of the armrest are clearly visible.
25. And for one more fascinating fact, dismissed until only recently, head over to the exhibit on Mona Lisa’s eyes.