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High-Res Scan of Mona Lisa Reveals Its History
daevux writes "CNN is reporting that French engineer Pascal Cotte has discovered interesting details of the history of Da Vinci's Mona Lisa from a 240-megapixel scan of the artwork in various frequencies. Cotte surmises that the painted figure's eyebrows and eyelashes probably disappeared due to poor cleaning at some point in the past. He believes he can reconstruct the painting's original skin tones."
So will we ever know if it is a man or not?
It's a Man BABY!!
I smoked pot once. But I DID NOT inhale. Will you hire me?
Let me guess... they've discovered that Mona Lisa's face is actually a combination of the faces of Da Vinci, Jesus, Dan Brown, and Tom Hanks?
240 megapixels and you link to a CNN article? Show me the pixels!
Let's see all her skin tone!
Engineering is the art of compromise.
Mona Lisa, masterpiece ...
A painting, badly damaged
Gentlemen, we can rebuild her
We have the technology
We have the capability
Mona Lisa is that painting
Better than she was before
Brighter - Truer colors - Anatomically Complete
Did he find "THIS IS A FAKE" written on the canvas in felt tipped marker under all that paint?
George Lucas should do it - he tried already on Star Wars.
DISCLAIMER: Effects may vary.
"an experienced, industrious, ambitious, and often, quite often, picturesque liar" - Mark Twain
:|
That's a kickass compressor.
Thou shalt not begin a subject line or post with the word "Umm".
How do they explain the words "THIS IS A FAKE" written in felt tip marker underneath all that aged paint?
Slashdot researcher CowboyNeal has used the same 240 megapixel camera and advanced imaging techniques to reveal the history of the goatsecx picture.
"Cotte surmises that the painted figure's eyebrows and eyelashes probably disappeared due to poor cleaning..."
I found it amusing that the ad I got while reading the article was for Botox...
would restoring the Mona Lisa to her original glory be in violation of the DMCA? Mother nature has specifically encoded the particles of the painting into their current state. Disassembling those particles or re-arranging them to unlock the original content seems to contravene explicit provisions of the DMCA.
While the rest of the world may enjoy Leonardo's original work, here in the US we simply will not tolerate such abashed attacks on the copyrights of Leonardo. What do you mean copyright has expired? Ok, give us one more congressional session (and a couple pleasure boat cruises) and we will have that fixed.
Support NYCountryLawyer RIAA vs People
According to the article, there's a postulation that a curator or restorer might have accidentally cleaned off the eyebrows and eyelashes.
FTA
"And if you look closely at the eye of 'Mona Lisa' you can clearly see that the cracks around the eye have slightly disappeared, and that may be explained that one day a curator or restorer cleaned the eye, and cleaning the eye, removed, probably removed the eyelashes and eyebrow," he said.
Why would a single pigment/color disappear?
Weren't colors back then all made with the same base? In that case, why would only the eyebrows disappear and nothing else shows a smudge from whatever cleaning agent it was used? (if this is the case).
Not to mention that I would have loved to be there for THAT occasion:
Owner: "Can you get this thing cleaned up for me?"
Curator: "Sure thing mister, I'm a professional."
Owner: "It's priceless you know..."
Curator: "I'll take good care of it."
Curator starts the restoration from the eyes and accidentally wipes off eyebrows and eyelashes.
Curator: "Fuck!"
Curator: "Well... maybe if I get the eyes soaked in enough oil to not crack for 500 years, no one will notice."
Owner gets back.
Owner: "Hmm... look at them eyes! They're awesome!"
Owner: "There's something different about her, is it her smile?"
Curator: "I'm just a restorer, but yeah, er... she looks mysterious."
Owner: "Nice eyes though!"
So much speculation...
A black cat crossing your path signifies that the animal is going somewhere. -- Groucho Marx
Mona smiles FIRST!
Thank me later.
Crapification - re-releasing Star Wars on DVD, except there's all this CG crap in the background that wasn't there before. Han shot first!
You can't take the sky from me...
Attempts to restore the original are now underway.
Have gnu, will travel.
Who says it was Leonardo who couldn't stop. Let's face it, if it went anything like modern project management in a lot of places, it would be more like:
Act 1:
Leonardo's PHB: Good news Leonardo! We've won the preliminary round of talks with Francesco del Giocondo for a painting! Now he'll only want a time and cost estimate, and a tech demo to help him make up his mind!
Leonardo: Great! Did he say _what_ he wants painted? How big? I mean, the cost and time depends on that.
Leonardo's PHB: Now, now, Leonardo... what did I tell you about scaring the customers with that kind of technical questions? Get working on that demo already, and we'll ask for more details after he sees it.
Leonardo: Hmm, ok, WTH, I'll just paint the castle then...
Leonardo's PHB: That's the spirit!
Act 2:
Leonardo's PHB: Sad to say, Mr del Giocondo wasn't impressed with your demo. He said it was too sketchy and lacking any detail, but luckily the VP of Marketing managed to convince him to give you another chance.
Leonardo: Whoa there, you said he wanted a demo, not a full painting. Of course it's sketchy!
Leonardo's PHB: Now, now, we're not at assigning blame. What matters is that we get the contract, right?
Leonardo: Right. I guess I'll go back to painting the castle, then.
Leonardo's PHB: Oh, right, I forgot to mention that. He thinks that it doesn't quite fit what he had in mind, so he'll want it changed to a lake.
Leonardo: Ah well, I'll just get a fresh canvas then.
Leonardo's PHB: Not so fast, we don't have the budget for a new painting. You'll have to change the demo from a castle to a lake.
Leonardo: You're kidding, right? I mean, seriously...
Leonardo's PHB: Do I look like I'm kidding? I already promised the CEO it'll be ready in half the time of a new demo.
Leonardo: Oh, for fuck's sake...
Act 3:
Leonardo's PHB: Good news, Leonardo. Francesco was pleased, now he wants to see how the lake looks as a background for a woman's portrait.
Leonardo: Let me guess, he wants her painted _over_ the lake, because someone told him it'll be cheaper, right?
Leonardo's PHB: Well, duh, of course.
Leonardo: So when does he send this woman here, so I can paint her?
Leonardo's PHB: Who said anything about doing the final product already? You're just supposed to do another demo, so he can see if that's what he wants. Just take any woman and paint her there.
Leonardo: Grrr... Ok, I'll just paint my girlfriend, then.
Act 4:
Francesco del Giocondo: Ah, yes, Mr da Vinci, I presume. Yes, that's very interesting, indeed. See, the lake is exactly what I had in mind for the background, but what I actually want is a portrait of my wife, Lisa.
Leonardo: Great. I'll just get a new canvas, and we can talk about what time should I start.
Francesco del Giocondo: Wait, new canvas? I was assured that we can just change that bit in the demo. I mean, look at it, it looks almost ready...
Leonardo's PHB: Yes, of course, Mr del Giocondo. No need to waste money on starting from scratch.
Leonardo: Guys, that's crazy, that wasn't supposed to work that way.
Francesco del Giocondo: Well, I see... I guess I'll have to find another painter, then.
Leonardo's PHB: Leonardo, so help me God, if we lose this customer, I'll make sure you never work again in this city!
Leonardo: Ok, ok, I'll just... ummm, make her a bit thinner then to match Mrs Gioconda. Right.
Francesco del Giocondo: Oh, I'm so delighted we could reach an agreement.
Act 5:
(Several months later.)
Mona Lisa: Hmm, no, those eyebrows just won't do... They'll have to go.
Leonardo: Completely??
Mona Lisa: Yes. My friend, Maria assures me that that's the latest fashion in Constantinople.
Leonardo: But... but... you'll look like a radiotherapy patient without them.
Mona Lisa: Mr da Vinci, I think you forget who's the customer here! No way I'm accepting this product as it is!
Leonardo: Ah, ok, let me get my turpentine bottle then. Anything else?
Mona Lisa: In fact,
A polar bear is a cartesian bear after a coordinate transform.
But of even more interest than the eyebrows and lashes was the discovery a thin mustache and goatee...
That painting is actually the first representation of Bukakke, but they cleaned it up before exhibition.
"then along came Rubens who only painted fat chicks "
They're not fat they're Ruebenesque.
Need Mercedes parts ?