You’d think a girl could be left alone after 500 years, but if anything, the scrutiny of the Mona Lisa is more intense than ever. After studying the painting with 3-D laser scanners, researchers ...

The Mona Lisa has been the subject of awe and fascination for centuries, with experts from around the world desperate to solve the mystery behind her iconic, enigmatic smile. Now, thanks to X-ray ...

Historical paintings are also complex chemical objects so museums turn to analytical chemistry to decipher the mysteries concealed within their micrometric paint layers. Recently, x ray and infrared ...

The “Mona Lisa” has given up another secret. Using X-rays to peer into the chemical structure of a tiny speck of the celebrated work of art, scientists have gained new insight into the techniques that ...

Analyzing a minuscule speck of paint from Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa, a team of scientists discovered new clues to his paint mixture. The oil-paint mixture features plumbonacrite, a rare compound ...

From The Guardian: "What is the Mona Lisa's secret? She smiles so enigmatically under the all-but-invisible transparent silk veil that covers her hair, turning her brown eyes as if she has just seen ...