Testing the Mona Lisa | Secrets of the Mona Lisa

the investigation begins after hours the

the investigation begins after hours the museum is tense with anticipation Mona

museum is tense with anticipation Mona

museum is tense with anticipation Mona Lisa is leaving her bulletproof cell

Lisa is leaving her bulletproof cell

Lisa is leaving her bulletproof cell she’s due for her most thorough health

she’s due for her most thorough health

she’s due for her most thorough health check in 500 years a process documented

check in 500 years a process documented

check in 500 years a process documented in this series of photographs under the

in this series of photographs under the

in this series of photographs under the watchful eyes of curators and scientists

watchful eyes of curators and scientists

watchful eyes of curators and scientists the Mona Lisa moves to a conservation

the Mona Lisa moves to a conservation

the Mona Lisa moves to a conservation lab beneath the Louvre during the course

lab beneath the Louvre during the course

lab beneath the Louvre during the course of three 36-hour sessions

of three 36-hour sessions

of three 36-hour sessions the painting is weighed measured

the painting is weighed measured

the painting is weighed measured photographed x-rayed and scan it is the

photographed x-rayed and scan it is the

photographed x-rayed and scan it is the most comprehensive test of an artwork in

most comprehensive test of an artwork in

most comprehensive test of an artwork in human history we are asked to study the

human history we are asked to study the

human history we are asked to study the painting for one main reason the main

painting for one main reason the main

painting for one main reason the main reason is a stability of the panel the

reason is a stability of the panel the

reason is a stability of the panel the painting is not painted on canvas but on

painting is not painted on canvas but on

painting is not painted on canvas but on panel the concerned that Louvre had was

panel the concerned that Louvre had was

panel the concerned that Louvre had was the effect of temperatures and humidity

the effect of temperatures and humidity

the effect of temperatures and humidity and the warping it’s a wood panel and

and the warping it’s a wood panel and

and the warping it’s a wood panel and before the kite has a lot of distortion

before the kite has a lot of distortion

before the kite has a lot of distortion associated with it and by using this

associated with it and by using this

associated with it and by using this technology were hoping to be able to

technology were hoping to be able to

technology were hoping to be able to record the exact shape so that it can

record the exact shape so that it can

record the exact shape so that it can study the physical behavior of the

study the physical behavior of the

study the physical behavior of the painting is the painting deteriorating

painting is the painting deteriorating

painting is the painting deteriorating besides assessing the paintings physical

besides assessing the paintings physical

besides assessing the paintings physical condition the high-tech regimen helped

condition the high-tech regimen helped

condition the high-tech regimen helped Mona Lisa tell her story

Mona Lisa tell her story

Mona Lisa tell her story space-age devices gave voice to the

space-age devices gave voice to the

space-age devices gave voice to the evidence embedded in Leonardo’s

evidence embedded in Leonardo’s

evidence embedded in Leonardo’s materials and methods the data required

materials and methods the data required

materials and methods the data required more than a year to process but as the

more than a year to process but as the

more than a year to process but as the results took shape the team of art

results took shape the team of art

results took shape the team of art historians and curators posed an

historians and curators posed an

historians and curators posed an extraordinary and controversial question

extraordinary and controversial question

extraordinary and controversial question was the Mona Lisa a portrait of a

was the Mona Lisa a portrait of a

was the Mona Lisa a portrait of a pregnant woman one of the tests was a

pregnant woman one of the tests was a

pregnant woman one of the tests was a photographic process called infrared

photographic process called infrared

photographic process called infrared reflectography

reflectography

reflectography the science is complex but it boils down

the science is complex but it boils down

the science is complex but it boils down to this an infrared camera can

to this an infrared camera can

to this an infrared camera can photograph details we can’t see when the

photograph details we can’t see when the

photograph details we can’t see when the camera peered through the paintings

camera peered through the paintings

camera peered through the paintings darkened varnish it detected something

darkened varnish it detected something

darkened varnish it detected something unusual about Mona’s attire

unusual about Mona’s attire

unusual about Mona’s attire according to Bruno motae one of the

according to Bruno motae one of the

according to Bruno motae one of the curators who organized the testing the

curators who organized the testing the

curators who organized the testing the models seem to be enveloped by a

models seem to be enveloped by a

models seem to be enveloped by a transparent gauze like veil I could

transparent gauze like veil I could

transparent gauze like veil I could observe that there was girls on the left

observe that there was girls on the left

observe that there was girls on the left arm that will also goes on the right arm

arm that will also goes on the right arm

arm that will also goes on the right arm and the mother seems to be totally

and the mother seems to be totally

and the mother seems to be totally enveloped in the transparent goes so I

enveloped in the transparent goes so I

enveloped in the transparent goes so I deduced that the model was totally

deduced that the model was totally

deduced that the model was totally enveloped by you’re sort of from a

enveloped by you’re sort of from a

enveloped by you’re sort of from a second dress the discovery led to new

second dress the discovery led to new

second dress the discovery led to new speculation some historians believe the

speculation some historians believe the

speculation some historians believe the second dress may be a guar nello

second dress may be a guar nello

second dress may be a guar nello a garment thought to be worn by pregnant

a garment thought to be worn by pregnant

a garment thought to be worn by pregnant women or new mothers this painting by

women or new mothers this painting by

women or new mothers this painting by Sandro Botticelli a contemporary of

Sandro Botticelli a contemporary of

Sandro Botticelli a contemporary of Leonardo depicts a woman wearing a guar

Leonardo depicts a woman wearing a guar

Leonardo depicts a woman wearing a guar nello and that woman in the butcher

nello and that woman in the butcher

nello and that woman in the butcher painting is pregnant if Mona Lisa’s veil

painting is pregnant if Mona Lisa’s veil

painting is pregnant if Mona Lisa’s veil is indeed aguar nello it suggests that

is indeed aguar nello it suggests that

is indeed aguar nello it suggests that the painting alludes to some aspect of

the painting alludes to some aspect of

the painting alludes to some aspect of motherhood some have even wondered if

motherhood some have even wondered if

motherhood some have even wondered if Mona herself

Mona herself

Mona herself might be pregnant Leonardo’s depiction

might be pregnant Leonardo’s depiction

might be pregnant Leonardo’s depiction of Mona Lisa’s hands may support this

of Mona Lisa’s hands may support this

of Mona Lisa’s hands may support this provocative theory one scholar a medical

provocative theory one scholar a medical

provocative theory one scholar a medical doctor sees her hands as swollen or

doctor sees her hands as swollen or

doctor sees her hands as swollen or puffy a typical sign of pregnancy

puffy a typical sign of pregnancy

puffy a typical sign of pregnancy others however insist that Lisa’s hands

others however insist that Lisa’s hands

others however insist that Lisa’s hands are shaped by Renaissance ideals of

are shaped by Renaissance ideals of

are shaped by Renaissance ideals of beauty and nothing more the Renaissance

beauty and nothing more the Renaissance

beauty and nothing more the Renaissance Yves would Mar at large female hands and

Yves would Mar at large female hands and

Yves would Mar at large female hands and there’s a treated spy guy called fear

there’s a treated spy guy called fear

there’s a treated spy guy called fear and swallow from the middle of the 16th

and swallow from the middle of the 16th

and swallow from the middle of the 16th century in which he talks about these

century in which he talks about these

century in which he talks about these large hands and long fingers they were

large hands and long fingers they were

large hands and long fingers they were desirable so large hands was in and if

desirable so large hands was in and if

desirable so large hands was in and if you look at the hands for instance of

you look at the hands for instance of

you look at the hands for instance of Leonardo’s to chili gala Danny you see

Leonardo’s to chili gala Danny you see

Leonardo’s to chili gala Danny you see that they’re huge