2006-08-29 20:50:47 · 20 answers · asked by sandra k 3 in Arts & Humanities ➔ History
What's your point?
2006-09-05 17:37:19 · answer #1 · answered by The Mick "7" 7 · 18⤊ 1⤋
The authenticity of the Isleworth Mona Lisa is widely disputed in the art community. It is important to note that Henry F. Pulitzer himself owned the painting in question, which some argue represents a conflict of interest.. Establishing the authenticity of the Isleworth Mona Lisa was undoubtably in Pulitzer's best interest. Pulitzer argues in his book that Da Vinci's contemporary Raphael made a sketch of this painting, probably from memory, after seeing it in Leonardo's studio in 1504. The Raphael sketch includes the two Greek columns that are found not in the Louvre's Mona Lisa, but are found in the painting bought by Blaker. There are however, glimpses of the bases of the pillars in the Louvre portrait, and early copies of the Louvre portrait show the columns, so we can assume that the Louvre painting was trimmed.
In reviewing the evidence for the existence of the painting as it is represented on the Internet, most, if not all of it, seems to come from Pulitzer's book (wherein he reproduced sections of John Eyre's earlier work on the painting due to Eyre's work being out of print).
Pulitzer presents a few pages of art expert testimonials in his book; some of these experts seemed to believe that Leonardo was the painter, others felt the artist was somebody who worked in Leonardo's studio, and still others suggested that other artists may have done it.
Pulitzer also presents laboratory evidence that his painting is a Leonardo. He writes: "I have no intention of cluttering up this book with too many technicalities and wish to make this chapter brief." As these results were then published by his own Pulitzer Press, there is a lack of outside corroboration for his claims.
The painting is now owned by the Pulitzer collection and is believed to be stored in the vault of a Swiss Bank. A greater degree of certainty will not likely be established regarding the painting's authenticity until the painting is made more widely available.
2006-09-06 09:11:19 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
The first thing that any good Art Historian will do with a piece of work is to ensure its authenticity. Experts with a massive amount of knowledge are allowed to examine the works at close proximity and will be able to consider whether it is authentic. Such works of art also come with a provenance. Their history and ownership has been traced back through antiquity and the academics are well aware the history of the work. I've been lucky enough to handle many of Leonardo da Vinci's original drawings and their appearance as well as their provenance is cataloged by experts/museums etc thus you know if their are any rips, marks other notes etc on the original work which would help to identify it from a copy or forgery. There are also many scientific innovations which allow these works of art to be examined such as infra red scanning and carbon 14 dating etc. Paintings such as the Mona Lisa are not untouchable. They have to be moved, cleaned, restored, examined etc. It is only the public who are not allowed access to handle valuable works as there is no need for them to do so. Academics, scientist and historians are quite often granted access thus there can not possibly be a problem with authenticity.
2006-08-30 11:04:53 · answer #3 · answered by samanthajanecaroline 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The Mona has been studied and xrayed enough that it is a sure bet that it is real. Now the one you see on display may not be.
Art authorities are good enough that they can look at the paint, the style, the canvas and the frame and tell the period and the creator. But sometimes a forgery does get sold to a museum. Or a good reproduction. Students through the ages have also copied the masters with much the same materials and techniques.
2006-08-30 03:56:39 · answer #4 · answered by San Diego Art Nut 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
The Mona Lisa displayed at the Louvre in Paris is a well made copy of the original. They don't display the original for security reasons. The museum claims the displayed painting is the original though.
2006-08-30 03:55:38 · answer #5 · answered by Λиδѓεy™ 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
In "City of Death" (Doctor Who) we learned that there were 6 "original" Mona Lisa paintings, all by Leonardo.
2006-09-06 14:29:10 · answer #6 · answered by btsmith_y 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Each artist has unique or signature ways of painting, by studying his hand work on things we know are his we can identified other works as well. It is a little painters secret but a lot of us hide an additional signature or item only we know about. Our agents are made aware of the hidden signature upon selling the painting.
2006-09-07 02:29:58 · answer #7 · answered by spider 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
France has the original weather the real one is on display probably not it probably locked in a vault some where in France the way they can tell if it's a fake or not is believe it or not the two sides of the original have been cut. the original had two columns on both sides. but they were cut off when he died. u can still see the base of the two on the original so that how they tell if it's fake or real
2006-09-04 16:44:54 · answer #8 · answered by ryan s 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I know because I painted it in a former life and it wasn't good so in the next life I was born a fly but the didn't last long so I can recall all of this because this life I was born Sri lama wama boz.
2006-09-06 06:27:19 · answer #9 · answered by Yahoo 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Based on this how do you know anything at all is truth or that it's just some mumbo jumbo smart people on drugs made up and labled as fact?
We don't know, why? WE WERE NOT there and language changes meanings through time.
2006-08-30 10:36:41 · answer #10 · answered by eg_ansel 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
because their can only be 1 original,and i assure you the best people in the world of art have said that it is.if someone else had the original would say so don't you think.why would they let a priceless piece of art be worthless...........no brain-er huh? l8r pal
2006-09-06 16:02:24 · answer #11 · answered by toe_clamp 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋