Madrid, April 15: Until recently, the Prado's copy of the Mona Lisa - one of dozens made over the centuries - was not much of a draw. Then, Ana Gonzalez Mozo took an interest.
It turns out that the Prado's Mona Lisa is not just any 500-year-old copy. It was most likely painted by someone who was sitting right next to Leonardo da Vinci, trying to duplicate his every brush stroke, as he produced his famous lady with the enigmatic smile. When Leonardo adjusted the size of the Mona Lisa's head or corrected her hands or slimmed her bosom or lowered her bodice, so did whoever was painting the Prado's Mona Lisa.
"It had to be painted at the same time," Gonzalez said. "Someone who copies doesn't make corrections because they haven't ever seen the changes. They can see only the surface of the painting."
The discovery is primarily important for what it reveals about the real Mona Lisa, a painting that has been darkened by layers of aging lacquer . The copy, now restored, offers details that are obscured in the original one.
For instance, the copy shows an armrest where none can be seen in the original, and reflectographs show a much clearer image of her waistline.
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