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| Leonardo da Vinci may have drawn nude Mona Lisa | Leonardo da Vinci may have drawn nude Mona Lisa |
| (5 days later) | |
| A nude sketch that bears a striking resemblance to the Mona Lisa may have been drawn by Leonardo da Vinci, experts have said. | A nude sketch that bears a striking resemblance to the Mona Lisa may have been drawn by Leonardo da Vinci, experts have said. |
| Scientists at the Louvre in Paris, where the painting is held, have been examining a charcoal drawing known as the Monna Vanna, which had been attributed to the Florentine master’s studio. | Scientists at the Louvre in Paris, where the painting is held, have been examining a charcoal drawing known as the Monna Vanna, which had been attributed to the Florentine master’s studio. |
| The large drawing has been held since 1862 in the huge collection of Renaissance art at the Conde Museum, in the palace of Chantilly, north of the French capital. | The large drawing has been held since 1862 in the huge collection of Renaissance art at the Conde Museum, in the palace of Chantilly, north of the French capital. |
| After a month of tests, curators believe the sketch is at least in part by Leonardo. “The drawing has a quality in the way the face and hands are rendered that is truly remarkable. It is not a pale copy,” said curator Mathieu Deldicque. | After a month of tests, curators believe the sketch is at least in part by Leonardo. “The drawing has a quality in the way the face and hands are rendered that is truly remarkable. It is not a pale copy,” said curator Mathieu Deldicque. |
| “We are looking at something which was worked on in parallel with the Mona Lisa at the end of Leonardo’s life. It is almost certainly a preparatory work for an oil painting.” | “We are looking at something which was worked on in parallel with the Mona Lisa at the end of Leonardo’s life. It is almost certainly a preparatory work for an oil painting.” |
| The hands and body in the sketch were almost identical to that of the Mona Lisa, Deldicque. | The hands and body in the sketch were almost identical to that of the Mona Lisa, Deldicque. |
| The drawing is almost the same size as the Mona Lisa, and small holes pierced around the figure suggest it may have been used to trace its form on to a canvas. | The drawing is almost the same size as the Mona Lisa, and small holes pierced around the figure suggest it may have been used to trace its form on to a canvas. |
| A Louvre conservation expert confirmed the drawing was created during Leonardo’s lifetime at the turn of the 15th century. | A Louvre conservation expert confirmed the drawing was created during Leonardo’s lifetime at the turn of the 15th century. |
| Bruno Mottin told the Parisien newspaper tests had revealed the high-quality work was not a copy of a lost original. | Bruno Mottin told the Parisien newspaper tests had revealed the high-quality work was not a copy of a lost original. |
| He cautioned that “we must remain prudent” about definitively attributing the sketch to Leonardo, who died in Amboise, France, in 1519. | He cautioned that “we must remain prudent” about definitively attributing the sketch to Leonardo, who died in Amboise, France, in 1519. |
| “The hatching on the top of the drawing near the head was done by a right-handed person. Leonardo drew with his left hand. It is job that is going to take some time,” Mottin said. “It is a very difficult drawing to work on because it is particularly fragile.” | “The hatching on the top of the drawing near the head was done by a right-handed person. Leonardo drew with his left hand. It is job that is going to take some time,” Mottin said. “It is a very difficult drawing to work on because it is particularly fragile.” |
| But Mottin said they hoped to establish the identity of the artist within two years, in time for an exhibition at Chantilly to celebrate the 500th anniversary of Leonardo’s death. | But Mottin said they hoped to establish the identity of the artist within two years, in time for an exhibition at Chantilly to celebrate the 500th anniversary of Leonardo’s death. |
| More than 10 experts have been examining the drawing for the past few weeks, performing scans and using other scientific methods. | More than 10 experts have been examining the drawing for the past few weeks, performing scans and using other scientific methods. |
| Their investigations have centred on working out whether the drawing was made before or after the Mona Lisa, which was painted sometime after 1503. | Their investigations have centred on working out whether the drawing was made before or after the Mona Lisa, which was painted sometime after 1503. |
| The Chantilly drawing had originally been attributed to the Tuscan master when it was bought by the Duc d’Aumale in 1862 for 7,000 francs, a substantial sum at the time. | The Chantilly drawing had originally been attributed to the Tuscan master when it was bought by the Duc d’Aumale in 1862 for 7,000 francs, a substantial sum at the time. |
| But later specialists had their doubts and thought it probably came from a member of the artist’s studio. | But later specialists had their doubts and thought it probably came from a member of the artist’s studio. |
| About 20 paintings and drawings of nude Mona Lisas exist in collections across the world but most have proved very difficult to date. | About 20 paintings and drawings of nude Mona Lisas exist in collections across the world but most have proved very difficult to date. |