Secrets of the Dead

The Mona Lisa Mystery

Hers is the most famous smile in the world, visited and studied by thousands every year, a priceless work of art —the one and only Mona Lisa. Or is it unique? With its striking similarities to the painting in the Louvre Museum, the so-called Isleworth Mona Lisa has remained an art world mystery since she was found in 1912. Did Leonardo da Vinci paint the legendary portrait twice?

Preview | The Mona Lisa Mystery

30s

Discover a portrait of a younger and more beautiful Mona Lisa that predated the famous Louvre masterpiece. In September 2012, headline news shook the art world. A secret da Vinci had been uncovered, a portrait of a younger and more beautiful Mona Lisa that predated the famous Louvre masterpiece.

  • Theft of the Mona Lisa from the Louvre: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    Theft of the Mona Lisa from the Louvre

    S13 E5 - 1m 45s

    In the summer of 1911, the relatively obscure Mona Lisa portrait was stolen from a Renaissance gallery in The Louvre Museum. The scandal soon made the Leonardo da Vinci painting a household name. A handyman Vincenzo Peruggia committed the crime, removing the wooden panel portrait from its frame and escaping in broad daylight the following day when the museum was closed.

  • What Is the Isleworth Mona Lisa?: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    What Is the Isleworth Mona Lisa?

    S13 E5 - 4m 13s

    Two years before the death of Leonardo da Vinci, the aging artist was visited by Cardinal Luigi d'Aragona to survey his works. A diary written by the Cardinal’s secretary suggests da Vinci showcased a Mona Lisa portrait different than the one now on display in The Louvre Museum.

Similar Shows

WETA Passport

Stream tens of thousands of hours of your PBS and local favorites with WETA Passport whenever and wherever you want. Catch up on a single episode or binge-watch full seasons before they air on TV.