Is the Mona Lisa really Da Vinci in drag?

[Butterfly]

Is the Mona Lisa really Da Vinci in drag?
by Sean McLachlan
26 January, 2010


http://www.gadling.com/2010/01/26/is-the-mona-lisa-really-da-vinci-in-drag/


When Marcel Duchamp put a mustache and goatee on the Mona Lisa, he might have guessed more than he knew.

Italian researchers are requesting permission to dig up Leonardo Da Vinci's grave to prove their theory that his most famous painting is actually a self-portrait. Anthropologist Giorgio Gruppione wants to examine Da Vinci's skull to see if it has structural similarities to the mysterious woman in the portrait. This process of facial reconstruction is usually reserved for murder victims, but could give evidence to support or refute the theory and add a new possibility for the origins of that enigmatic smile.


http://www.tonic.com/article/leonardo-da-vinci-in-drag-new-theory-suggests-mona-lisa-self-portrait/

[tekla]

Old news is so exciting!  This theory has been around for like a century, at least.  I was taught it in college art appreciation, I'm sure others were too.  Yeah, and about that digging him up?  Two places claim to have his burial site, both are churches.  The leading contender is Chapel of Saint-Hubert in the castle of Amboise - which is in France.  And if you want to dig up a church in France, or Italy, it's going to take the Pope, not 'authorties' to give you permission.

[Syne]

My reaction: "OMG, not this AGAIN."

[Muffin]

Seems like an insane thing to do, dig his body up, for what? To prove he was a possibly a crossdresser? ppffftt.
People, what are we going to do with them? *shrugs*.

[Cindy]

This is quite an old story, silly and unprovable. Was it published in the National Enquirer? Oh I get it, Leonardo invented Photoshop


In the same sort of vein,I was watching a very bad documentary recently of how LdV had/has prophesied the end of the world in his writings, and guess what, he had/has prophesied it for 2012 - fitting in with the Mayan calender. Oh awesome; then Nostradamus was brought in: they managed to fit in a quartaine to match - how you couldn't find one that fitted wasn't brought up . I'm still waiting for that self satisfactory answer: "well I prophesied it!" when we are all dead.

Sorry for being cynical. I don't mean to offend. Just having a healthy laugh.


Cindy.

[IndigeoAliquis]

It's fun to research Georgio Vasari, Da Vinci's personal biographer.

But I'm still leaning towards this bit that I read a few years ago...  http://www.usatoday.com/tech/science/discoveries/2006-09-27-mona-video_x.htm

[Muffin]

I guess it was going to happen sooner or later, after almost 5000 years people have gotten bored of just looking at it and now want to analyse it to death.. is there a pun in there? *shrugs* ..anyways. It's a nice enough painting but I don't see the fuss. Maybe I'm not artsy or analytical enough