~RS~q~RS~~RS~z~RS~56~RS~)
Mona Lisa's x-ray uncovers da Vinci's painting secrets
French scientists are confident they have uncovered a few secrets of the Mona Lisa.
The researchers x-rayed seven of the Louvre Museum's Leonardo da Vinci paintings, including the Mona Lisa, to analyse the master's use of successive ultra-thin layers of paint and glaze.
They found that da Vinci painted up to 30 layers of paint on his works to meet his standards of perfection.
The technique called "sfumato", allowed da Vinci to give outlines and contours a hazy quality and create an illusion of depth and shadow.
Mona Lisa image courtesy: V.A. Sole/ESRF
Most watched/listened
-
Record breaking demolition of viaduct
-
Japan's incredible shrinking building
-
Why Texas German is a dying dialect
-
Gumball rally sets off from Denmark
-
David Beckham's emotional farewell
-
Cuban golf courses no longer 'elitist'
-
Inside the human robot factory
-
Syria army 'storms' rebel town Qusair
-
City lit up after 20 years in dark
-
Plane catches fire on landing in Russia
-
Turkey's 'Italian' makeover underway
-
Explosion fails to demolish disused building
-
Should we build streets in the sky?
-
A call from the top of the world
-
Chile coast littered with dead animals
