Scientists have revealed the secret of the creation of the “Mona Lisa”: they examined the bottom layer of the painting
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Scientists have learned the secret of creating the painting “Mona Lisa” by Leonardo da Vinci.
They investigated the chemical structure using X-rays. The results of the experiment by art critics from France and Britain were published in the Journal of the American Chemical Society, writes AP.
Scientists note that the artist and researcher Leonardo da Vinci “was in a particularly experimental mood” during the creation of the painting.
In this canvas, the recipe of oil paint, which was used as a base layer, differs in chemical composition from other paintings.
| Photo: bloodua/Depositphotos |
“Leonardo was a man who liked to experiment, and each of his paintings is completely different technically. In this case, it’s interesting to see that there really is a technique for the Mona Lisa’s base layer.– noted the lead author of the study and chemist of the leading French research body Victor Gonzalez.
Scientists found the chemical compound plumbonacrite in the first layer of paint. This discovery for the first time confirmed the hypothesis of historians that da Vinci used lead oxide powder to thicken and dry the paint of the Mona Lisa portrait.
A fragment of paint from the base layer, which was taken for analysis from the upper right edge of the painting, was barely visible to the naked eye. Its dimensions are no larger than a human hair.
With the help of X-ray radiation in a synchrotron – a special accelerator of particles to a speed close to the speed of light – scientists looked at the atomic structure of matter. Based on this, they determined the chemical composition of the material.
“Plumbonacrite is truly an imprint of his recipe. This is the first time we can confirm this chemically“, said researcher Gonzalez.
Leonardo is believed to have dissolved lead oxide powder, which has an orange color, in linseed or walnut oil. Then I heated the mixture to get a thicker and faster drying paste.
However, the secrets of the painting “Mona Lisa” are still more than enough.
“There are certainly many more things to discover. We are barely scratching the surface. What we’re saying is just a little more knowledge.”– said the researcher Gonzalez.
Scientists note that they also found plumbonacrite in the works of Rembrandt, who repeated it in the 17th century. Therefore, it is likely that paint recipes were handed down from artists for centuries.
Read also: Scientists found the remains of a woman who posed for Leonardo da Vinci? Photo
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