It may be one of the most recognizable paintings in the world, but art experts have uncovered new clues hidden in Leonardo Da Vinci's Mona Lisa.
There has always been a bit of mystery surrounding the painting, but this time the intrigue is centered around the model's eyes rather than her elusive smile. Using high-magnification techniques, Italian art experts have uncovered letters and numbers that were previously unknown, hidden with dark paint in Mona Lisa's pupils.
The symbols are indiscernible to the naked eye, but Silvano Vinceti believes that her right eye contains the letters "L" and "V," thought to represent the artist's initials. Vinceti, president of Italy’s National Committee for Cultural Heritage says:
"In the left eye there are also symbols but they are not as defined. It is very difficult to make them out clearly but they appear to be the letters CE, or it could be the letter B." Some hope that these letters might be a clue to the identity of the woman who sat for the famous portrait.
Some might be skeptical of such faint lettering, but the art experts don't believe that the indistinct symbols are a mistake. Vinceti claims that any message painted into the 500 year-old masterpiece may have faded with time.
It will take further research to determine if investigators have uncovered a real-life Da Vinci Code hidden in Mona Lisa's eyes.
