Mona Lisa, the lady with the enigmatic smile is one of the world's best-known faces and has countless copies and reproductions across the planet. The ever enchanting Mona Lisa’s twin sister was discovered last month in Madrid's Prado Museum
Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa is housed in Louvre museum in Paris, France
The painting "Portrait of Lisa Gherardini del Giocondo aka Mona Lisa aka La Joconde" which is a copy of Leonardo Da Vinci's famous "Mona Lisa" painting was been at the Prado museum in Madrid, Spain for the last five centuries
A file photo of Leonardo da Vinci's original "Mona Lisa" (L) which hangs in the Louvre in Paris, and a recently discovered and restored copy of the "Mona Lisa" painting as it was displayed at Madrid's El Prado Museum
Experts thought the Prado museum piece to be just a close copy of the original. Recent reflectographic studies revealed enough evidences to believe that the Prado Mona Lisa was painted along with da Vinci’s original, in the same studio, by one of his favourite pupils—perhaps Francesco Melzi, perhaps Andrea Salai who inherited the original Mona Lisa upon da Vinci’s death
The replica mirrors the underdrawings on da Vinci’s panel, gives greater details that are obscured in the original, and is painted on walnut wood as was the wont of Florentine painters of the Renaissance. Until the recent examinations, it was believed to be on oak wood which was never used by Renaissance Florentines, and hence considered to be a studio copy created by some Dutch artist
isa Gherardini, a Florentine merchant’s wife, is presumed to be the inspiration and model for the Mona Lisa. She appears younger and more seductive in the Prado copy—very much like a young Italian woman in her early twenties. The original painting is said to have lost its original colour
The Prado Mona Lisa has travelled to Louvre, and now stays side by side with the original
A copy of Leonardo Da Vinci's famous "Mona Lisa" painting is photographed after it was put on display at Madrid's El Prado Museum February 21, 2012. The museum presented their findings and details of the restoration of the painting, which was completed by one of Da Vinci's pupils at the same time as the original and in the same workshop, according to an El Prado Museum official