It is believed that a true work of art speaks for itself. This is usually the case, but Leonardo da Vinci's Mona Lisa has defied the understanding of art historians, historians and the general public for centuries.
The small portrait on display at the Louvre is often described as "the most famous, the most visited, the most illuminated in literature and music, the most copied piece of art in the world." But only a deeper study of this mysteriously smiling woman on canvas reveals what is hidden at first glance.
10. Who is Mona Lisa?
The authentic identity of the woman in the image is unknown to this day. Many thinkers believe that the portrait belongs to 24-year-old Italian noblewoman Maria de Gherardini (Lisa del Giocondo). She was born in Florence in 1479.
The painting was commissioned by her husband, Francesco del Giocondo, who sold silk and fabrics. The couple led a prosperous life. They had five children.
Another hypothesis is that this person belongs to Caterina Sforza, Countess Forlì, who fiercely fought for her possessions during the military battles. It is also believed that the young lady in the portrait was the mistress of Giuliano Medici, co-ruler of Florence, or the Marquise of Mantua, Isabella d'Este. There is an opinion that the painting depicts the artist's mother or himself.
9. Mysterious smile
One of the most mysterious details in the work is the incomprehensible, perplexing smile of La Gioconda.
For five centuries, there has been an ongoing debate about whether she is cheerful or sad. Or maybe she doesn't smile at all? Professor Margaret Livingston states that the "low spatial frequencies" of the portrait create a smile that amazes visitors when looking into the Mona Lisa's eyes.
In 2005, Dutch scientists developed emotion recognition programs. With their help, they were able to find that the girl's face exudes 83% of happiness, 6% of fear, 2% of anger, less than 1% of calmness and a complete absence of surprise.
Most people find that depending on the angle and viewing distance, her smile changes. Up close, you get the impression of a more restrained expression on the face, and from a distance it seems that Mona Lisa is smiling cheerfully.
8. Secret messages
Thanks to the microscopic magnification of the high-resolution image, the National Committee for Cultural Heritage in Italy noticed a series of letters and numbers in many areas of the canvas.
Art critic Silvano Vincheti discovered the letters "LV" in the right eye of Mona Lisa, most likely denoting the name of the artist himself. In the left eye one can see the indistinct contours of the letters "CE" or "B". The bridge in the background hid the number "72" or the letter "L" with the number "2" on the arch.
It remains only to guess why the great artist put these hard-to-explain letters and numbers on the canvas, making them invisible to the naked eye.
7. Mysterious bridge
Mona Lisa's charming appearance often overshadows the fabulous view behind her. But the three-arch bridge makes you wonder about the exact location of the hazy landscape in the background.
The Italian historian Carla Glory has made the assumption that this is the Ponte Gobbo or Ponte Vecchio ("Old Bridge"). It is located in a small village in northern Italy.
Her hypothesis is intertwined with the number "72" encrypted on the stone bridge, which Vincheti discovered. Karla believes the number is a reference to 1472. It was then that a terrible flood occurred when the Trebbia River overflowed its banks and destroyed the bridge.
In her book "The Riddle of Leonardo" Glory came to the conclusion that da Vinci put the number "72" in order to fix the disastrous event and allow it to be identified in the future.
6. Disturbing look
It seems that the gaze of Mona Lisa extends beyond the boundaries of the canvas, but at the same time it is directed directly at the viewer. And this is regardless of the location of the observer. In a three-dimensional world, shadows and light on surfaces move in accordance with the vantage point. But this rule does not apply to two-dimensional planes.
Scientists from Ohio University were able to scientifically explain this optical phenomenon, in which the image does not change at different viewing angles. Leonardo da Vinci was so skillful in the technique of chiaroscuro distribution that he was able to create such a deep, realistic feeling of the play of light and shadow in his work.
It is thanks to this phenomenon that Gioconda's look is so disturbing.
5. The hidden picture
In 2006, Canadian scientists using infrared and laser imaging discovered the original sketches on the canvas. For example, the index and middle fingers of the left hand were in a different position. Other numerous finds followed. Initially, lace was drawn on the dress, and the girl had a blanket on her knees and stomach.
In 2015, French engineer Pascal Cott applied a similar technology. He projected light beams at different wavelengths onto a canvas and measured the amount of light reflected back. Research has uncovered a hidden portrait behind what we see.
Kott calls this process the “layer hyperbolization method”. He claims that with its help it is possible to analyze what is happening inside the layers of a painting and peel off these layers like the husk from an onion. The scientist found four images under the topmost layer of paint. For example, a portrait of a younger girl with graceful features and no smile.
Many different guesses surround the very personality of the model, but perhaps her true face will forever remain a mystery.
4. Presumed pregnancy
Art critics who are of the opinion that the painting depicts Lisa del Giocondo also believe that she was pregnant when the artist painted her. The girl's arms are crossed on a rounded belly. In addition, there is historical evidence that del Giocondo was carrying a second child at that time, which was immortalized.
Infrared scanning made it possible to see a special linen veil on the shoulders, which in those days was worn only by pregnant women as outerwear.
Of course it could be just a scarf or a piece of fabric. However, the belly is covered with hands and the pregnancy at that time del Giocondo is confirmed. In addition, a similar veil on the pregnant Smeralda Brandini in the painting by Sandro Botticelli still suggests that Mona Lisa was in a position.
3. Amazing beauty
For many years, the portrait has been the personification of eternal beauty. But the intriguing charm of La Gioconda is not limited to just a look and a smile. Her extraordinary and ineffable appeal goes beyond these two characteristics. She is felt in the whole appearance of the girl.
The golden ratio is born from the ratio of the length and width of rectangles and is recognized as the most aesthetically pleasing proportion for perception. It is present in natural and man-made structures. Examples include the spiral core of sunflowers and the Parthenon columns. The artist himself called the golden ratio "divine proportion".
As it turns out, the chin, nose and crown of the Mona Lisa are clearly balanced in accordance with the golden ratio. Probably, it is the predominance of this phenomenon that explains the mysterious feeling that arises among observers.
Nobody knew that mathematics could shed light on the mechanisms of perception of beauty.
2. Abduction
In 1911, the portrait was kidnapped by the Italian Vincenzo Perugia, who was an employee of the Louvre.He believed that Napoleon Bonaparte stole the painting from Florence and wanted to see her returned to her homeland.
For two whole years, the location of the painting was shrouded in mystery. At this time, the media around the world made assumptions about the reasons for her absence and possible location. In 1913, Perugia contacted the Italian art dealer Alfredo Geri and requested an award from the Italian government for the return of the Mona Lisa to Florence.
But even after the return of the picture, various assumptions about the incident appeared. Indeed, for the return of the painting to Italy, the thief demanded a very modest sum. Therefore, the public wondered if the theft was just a clever trick to draw attention to the gallery.
Later it turned out that Perugia was only a performer, and the customer was the Argentine collector Eduardo de Valfierno. He ordered six copies of the Mona Lisa shortly before the kidnapping and then sold them for large sums, posing as the original work.
1. Illness
The Boston doctor is sure that he has solved the riddle of the Gioconda's ambiguous smile. Dr. Mandip R. Mehra has diagnosed Mona Lisa with an endocrine disorder. While viewing the painting, he noted unusual details in her appearance. For example, a yellowish skin tone, thinning hair and a slightly off-set smile.
Mehra is the chief physician of the cardiovascular department at Brigham and Women’s Hospital. Therefore, it is not easy for him to simply enjoy art, since he sees diagnoses in people regardless of his desire.
Mehra noticed the presence of a slight organic formation in the inner corner of the left eye, a thin hairline, and no eyebrows. A bulge in the neck indicates an enlarged thyroid gland. Therefore, he suggested that her strange smile may be due to muscle weakness.
The doctor concluded that Mona Lisa was suffering from hypothyroidism. Most likely this may be due to the dietary habits of women in the early 16th century. During this period, iodine was often absent in food, an important element that contributes to the maintenance of the health of the thyroid gland. Consequently, the mystery of Mona Lisa's incomprehensible smile may have been revealed.
