So, in the PART I you all have come to know about portrait Mona Lisa, the reason of theft and various versions of the portrait. But we were still uncertain about the actual work of Leonardo. At this article, we will come to know about the various comparisons that have been done among the various versions of Lisa and some scientific tests in order to solve various untold mystery.
CONTRACTIONS
Mona Lisa is
considered till present to be one of the most mysterious portrait drawn by any
artisans. Mystery is hidden at each and every stroke of Vinci. Vinci was
considered to be the mathematical painter. He used to calculate each and every
movement of his brush in his painting. Most of his mathematical thinking was
based on geometry rather than trigonometry and algebra. In both the drawing
shown on either side of the text, is the only prove that how much Leonardo was
accurate in his mathematics and drawing.
Such level of mathematical
calculation behind each painting make the most knowledgeable scholars to sweat
for years or even spent their lives to reveal those secrets from the painting.
There has been numerous discussions which have been put
by various scholars till date.
Inclusion of columns in the portrait of Mona Lisa was considered to
be one of the amazing innovations of Vinci as no other portrait before Mona
Lisa has proved to be having columns. Various observations that the scientists
have done from the different versions of Mona Lisa as follows:-
1. Scientists found out that
columns in Earlier Mona Lisa were drawn before the background of the portrait
was done.
2. Oslo Mona Lisa was drawn
completely based on the Earlier Mona Lisa. The pillars are quite well-drawn but
the volume of the column is less compared to that of Earlier Mona Lisa.
3. Louvre Mona Lisa – No presence
of shadow of the plinth of the column in the balcony, compared to Earlier or
Oslo Mona Lisa. Furthermore there is a very poor appearance in all the
background images, no outline of the sitter, and the columns are not
appropriate. Besides, it is also proved that the pillars have been added after
the drawing of background.
4. Prado Mona Lisa – The pillars
continued to be a mismatch for the portrait. Primarily, there is no shadow at
the base of the left column. Secondly, the two halves of the plinth, i.e., the
base of the left and right column are not of the same scale, nor of same shape,
proved to be a mismatch.
LIGHT AND SHADOW
In the book ‘A Treatise on Painting’, Leonardo states clearly, “Shadows appear to me to be of supreme
importance in perspective……….. Therefore, o painter, make your shadows darkest
close to the object that causes it”. Shadows and lightings are considered
to be one of the most important subject in Vinci’s drawings. It is the best way
to display anybody in diagram prominently. Shadows and light are so crucial
that it can make us understand which part of the portrait has been drawn prior
to the other. For example, it has been proved that the columns in Earlier and
Oslo Mona Lisa has been drawn prior to others. But in Louvre and Prado, it was
overthought.
UNIQUE EMBROIDERIES
It was said by Vasari that Leonardo
used to spend a large time in designing various types of patterns in
embroideries, like types of pattern of knots in which the thread can be traced
as the connection between the starting points to the ending points.
EMBROIDERY & KNOT-WORK
 |
| EMBROIDERY OF EARLIER MONA LISA |
 |
| EMBROIDERY OF LOUVRE MONA LISA |
 |
| EMBROIDERY OF OSLO MONA LISA |
 |
| EMBROIDERY OF PRADO MONA LISA |
1. THE UPPER – “CHAIN-LINK” – PATTERN
·
Earlier Mona Lisa – The
chain-link appears a loose horizontal style.
·
Louvre Mona Lisa – The
chain-link appears to be move tighter and more oval in shape in order to depict
the picture distinct than the Earlier Mona Lisa.
·
Oslo Mona Lisa – Exactly follow
the design of Earlier Mona Lisa.
·
Prado Mona Lisa – It is quite
different from others, nor, horizontal, nor vertical but more round in shape.
2. LOOPS BETWEEN THE “CLOVERLEAFS”
·
Earlier Mona Lisa – There are
two loops present in the two clover-leaf knot. There is a uniformity throughout
the embroidery.
·
Louvre Mona Lisa – The loops
are more tighter compared to the Earlier Mona Lisa. At the centre of the
embroidery, there are three loops between two clover-leaf which makes the whole
embroidery look dissimilar.
·
Oslo Mona Lisa – The loops are
the cloverleaf are similar to that of Earlier Mona Lisa. But the loops are much
loose.
·
Prado Mona Lisa – The design of
loops are similar to Earlier and Oslo Mona Lisa except the loops are quite
tight.
3. IRREGULARITIES IN THE LOOP KNOTTING
With regard to the loop designs
between the cloverleaves, the artist occasionally threaded one or two in the
opposite sequence.
4. IRREGULARITIES IN THE CLOVERLEAF KNOTTING
·
For the Earlier Mona Lisa, the
cloverleaf knotting is different from each other. The four cloverleaf are
unique work and the scientific thinking.
·
For the Louvre Mona Lisa the
first and third cloverleaf are as identical while the second and fourth
cloverleaf are identical.
·
For Oslo and Prado Mona Lisa
all the cloverleaf are identical with respective pattern.
5. THE FRILL
Prado Mona Lisa is a delicate frill at the
top of the body is clearly visible. While in others, under magnification some
form of frill work is present.
PERSPECTIVE
THE GLASS
WALL
“Perspective is nothing else than
the vision of a scene behind a flat and clear glass on which we mark all
objects that are on the other side: they can be connected by pyramids to the
center of the eye and these pyramids are intercepted by the glass” – Leonardo
da Vinci.
The above text proves that
Leonardo was involved in development of perspectographies, painted using
monocular perspective.
EARLIER
MONA LISA vs LOUVRE MONA LISA
EARLIER MONA
LISA – 64.5cm × 86cm
LOUVRE MONA LISA
– 53.3cm × 79.2cm
The panel in the
Earlier Mona Lisa is larger whereas the figure in smaller whereas in case of
Louvre Mona Lisa, the panel is smaller, whereas the sitter is larger compared
to Earlier Mona Lisa.
·
HORIZONTAL COMPARISON OF
MONA LISA
From the earlier text, we came to know that the panel of Louvre Mona
Lisa is smaller compared to Earlier Mona Lisa but the sitter in the portrait is
larger in case of latter compared to that of the former.
In the above
picture, the Louvre Mona Lisa has been reduced by 10% in order to make the size
of the sitter of both the portrait of same size.
Now, when we draw
horizontal lines by keeping both the portrait side by side, we see the portrait
exactly superimpose. This is possible only when the same artist draw. It was
possible only by the same artist to be so much mathematically perfect while
drawing the same picture.
·
VERTICAL COMPARISON OF MONA
LISA
When we vertically compare both the models, and draw two lines from
the center of the eye of the portrait Earlier Mona Lisa downward, and the other
set of two parallel lines from center of the eye of the portrait Louvre Mona
Lisa upward, then we can see that the two lines almost meet each other but
differs only by 0.1 unit, i.e., if we superimpose both the picture then the
distance between the center of the eye of both the portrait is 0.1 unit.
·
EFFECTS OF BINOCULAR
PERSPECTIVE
In FIG I, the portrait is of Louvre Mona Lisa. The white demarcation shows
the plinth of the column. The border of the portrait is marked with red colour.
The border of the portrait is marked with red colour. The distance between the
centers of the two eyes is 0.9 unit.
In FIG II, the portrait is of the Earlier Mona Lisa. As the panel of Earlier
Mona Lisa is wider in surface area than Louvre Mona Lisa is wider in surface
area than Louvre Mona Lisa, so when we extend the vertical red line, then the
plinth of the column get excluded. The distance between the centers of two eyes
is 1 unit.
In FIG III, when the portrait of the Earlier Mona Lisa is compressed, then the
plinth of the column got inserted inside the red border and the distance
between the centers of the two eye got reduced from 1 unit to 0.9 unit. Thus,
Earlier Mona Lisa resembling the Louvre Mona Lisa.
From this Part, I hope you all have come to know about the various comparisons between the different versions of Mona Lisa ranging from compression of the pictures to projecting light on glass to understand the image. I hope some of your doubts which have been remained in your mind by reading the previous part has got cleared. Next part will completely clear your all darkness from your mind, but hope you will all wait for the next part to be published. Till then, take care. BYE.
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