Mona Lisa has a sister it seems.
Spain's Prado art museum said Wednesday it had
discovered an unusual copy of Leonardo da Vinci's La Gioconda,
painted by one of the master's pupils at the same time that the
original was being completed.
The copy had been on display at the Madrid art museum for years
without experts being aware of its importance.
A routine restoration led experts to discover that the dark
background behind the female figure popularly known as Mona Lisa had
been added afterwards, and that it covered an Italian landscape
similar to that in da Vinci's original.
The copy artist had also repeated da Vinci's corrections, leading
experts to conclude that he had copied La Gioconda in the master's
workshop in Florence while the original was being painted.
The painting is the same size as La Gioconda and dates from the
first third of the 16th century, as does the original. It is believed
to have been painted by either Andrea Salai or Francesco Melzi, who
were among da Vinci's closest pupils.
The origin of the copy has been confirmed by experts both at the
Prado and at the Louvre in Paris, which hosts the original painting.
The copy has been better preserved than the original, making Mona
Lisa look younger than in da Vinci's painting.
The copy will be presented officially Feb. 21 before being
lent to the Louvre for an exhibition in June, museum officials said.
