Mona Lisa Revealed?

Unveiling a "Restored" Mona Lisa

Pascal Cotte, a French engineer who took "ultra-detailed digital scans" of the "Mona Lisa," says he can now tell us a lot more about what Leonardo's masterpiece is supposed to look like. Marcus Wohlsen of Associated Press reports:

Cotte created a reproduction of the Mona Lisa with the light blues and brilliant whites he thinks represent the painting in its original form.

Though some art historians have expressed skepticism about Cotte's findings, he hopes his technique can be used as a guide for future restoration work on not just the ''Mona Lisa,'' but also on aging art treasures around the world.

Colorize the Mona Lisa? No responsible restorer would dare. Last year, we had another report about scientific analysis (using infrared reflectography) of this endlessly fascinating lady.

Cotte's handiwork has just gone on display as part of a larger exhibition that opened in August, Da Vinci: An Exhibition of Genius, at Metreon, San Francisco---a shopping and entertainment mall. The press release for this shoppers' diversion states:

The exhibition features what is the most accurate representation ever of the Mona Lisa in its original color, presented side-by-side with a replica of what she looks like today.

The press release give this report of Cotte's findings:

Through Cotte's technology and work, the public is now able to see amazing new details, such as Mona Lisa's original gaze and smile, original facial expression, a blotch on the corner of her eye, and the lace on her dress that has disappeared over time. Other revelations include:
- The actual image of the Mona Lisa was never cut in order to frame it
- The restoration at the top of the sky, and small but numerous restoration alterations
- Crack reduction on eyes and lips suggests an older restoration
- The transparency of the veil painted by glacis - shows the order in which Leonardo painted
- Leonardo changed his mind about the position of the index and middle finger on the left hand
- The repair of the elbow due to a rock thrown at the painting in 1956
- A blanket covers Mona Lisa's knees and goes above her wrist, reminding us that the blanket
covers her stomach
- The fingers on the left hand hold the blanket, also reminding us that the blanket covers her
stomach
- The left finger was not completely finished by Leonardo
- The preparatory drawings of the left column
- The railing is made of a wood parquet construction

We know what the shopping mall says. Now what does the Louvre think about all this?