The Mona Lisa is without a doubt one of the most famous paintings of all time, but there is a very similar painting on display now at the Arts House in Singapore's Old Chambers of Parliament that some believe predates the famous work by ten years.
The portrait shows a younger Mona Lisa in the same pose as the well-known work, and it was discovered in 1913, over 140 years after it was purchased by an English aristocrat, according to BBC News. The painting is referred to as the Isleworth Mona Lisa, but not everyone agrees that Leonardo da Vinci was responsible for the unfinished portrait. The Mona Lisa Foundation that manages the piece says that "expert tests and analysis" have confirmed the authenticity of the art, but da Vinci expert Martin Kemp says that it is "just another copy of The Mona Lisa, an unfinished one, and no more than that".
The Isleworth Mona Lisa will remain on view through February, and The Mona Lisa Foundation has also published a book and several articles about the rare painting. Check out the short film below to learn more:
[via BBC News]
