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[Budog]

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Leonardo Da Vinci's remains to be exhumed amid Mona Lisa self-portrait mystery

Source: Telegraph (UK) (1-25-10)

Scientists hope to exhume the remains of Leonardo da Vinci so they can reconstruct his face to discover whether the Mona Lisa is a disguised self-portrait.

Experts believe the Mona Lisa is a da Vinci self-portrait
Scientists and historians from Italy’s National Committee for Cultural Heritage have sought permission to open the artist’s tomb at Amboise Castle in the Loire valley.

While the identity of the Mona Lisa has been debated for centuries, some scholars have suggested that da Vinci may have painted himself as a woman in the masterpiece due to his love of riddles.

Experts believe that if they find the Renaissance painter’s skull, they can recreate his face and compare it to the Mona Lisa.
The Italian research team said talks about the exhumation with French cultural officials and the owners of the chateau have resulted in an agreement in principle.
The project could receive formal permission this summer.

Giorgio Gruppioni, an anthropologist from the committee, said. “If we manage to find his skull, we could rebuild Leonardo’s face and compare it with the Mona Lisa.”

Da Vinci was originally buried in a church that was destroyed in the French revolution of 1789 and his remains were then reburied in the castle's smaller chapel of Saint-Hubert in 1874.

They lie beneath an inscription that describes them as “presumed” to be the master's.

Silvano Vincenti, head of the Italian team, said the first step would be to ascertain if the remains are da Vinci’s. The team will use carbon dating and compare DNA samples from bones and teeth to those of male descendants in Bologna, Italy.

Speculation about the identity of the Mona Lisa has ranged from Lisa Gherardini, the wife of a Florentine merchant, to da Vinci’s mother.

However, the exhumation plans have proved controversial among some da Vinci scholars, who believe his remains should not be disturbed.
Nicholas Turner, a former curator of drawings at the Getty Museum, said: “It sounds a bit fanciful, slightly mad, as if the Leonardo bug has taken hold too firmly in the minds of these people.

“If Leonardo heard about all this, he'd have a good chuckle.”


Budog.

[Rakehel]

I'd rather they clone him and make him live again than worry about whether his face matched the painting's. Seems like much ta-do about nothing to disturb his resting otherwise.

[Budog]

Originally Posted by Rakehel

I'd rather they clone him and make him live again than worry about whether his face matched the painting's. Seems like much ta-do about nothing to disturb his resting otherwise.

I agree, it just seems so totally wrong to desecrate his final resting place like that!

Budog.

[TroutAngler]

Originally Posted by Rakehel

I'd rather they clone him and make him live again than worry about whether his face matched the painting's. Seems like much ta-do about nothing to disturb his resting otherwise.

Just because they clone him, doesn't mean he will turn out to be the same person. The clone would not have the life experiences and environment that Leonardo had as he grew and matured.

[UncleMike]

Originally Posted by TroutAngler

Just because they clone him, doesn't mean he will turn out to be the same person. The clone would not have the life experiences and environment that Leonardo had as he grew and matured.

too true, a common error in thinking people forget it is both nurture as well as nature that makes up the personality. We see it so often in pet owners who want to clone fido thinking they will get the same old fido again when in fact all they will have is a "look alike"

As to weather the Master painted himself as the Mona Lisa, well that's an interesting theory but not a good enough reason to dig the old boy up in my opinion.

Uncle(one of a kind)Mike

[Rakehel]

Originally Posted by TroutAngler

Just because they clone him, doesn't mean he will turn out to be the same person. The clone would not have the life experiences and environment that Leonardo had as he grew and matured.

I was thinking that he would be cloned knowing that he was Leonardo. He would still have the same genetics to lead to the same brain and mind power to create even more fantastic inventions, theories and paintings. He would be cloned with the knowledge of who he was, be presented with some similar situations and experiences as well as education, including today's technologies and a history of.....well...er...himself and all that has happened since then! He might not necessarily have to live where he lived and the inventions would not be the same, the paintings different given improvements in capabilities, but still just as incredible.

A dog is still a dog in the end. It doesn't have the same brain development and capacity, is incapable of having the same experiences as a human for the most part, or interpreting them the same anyway. And...it doesn't have thumbs. Have you seen a dog drive a car? It's absolutely horrid to witness!

[Budog]

I am on their email list. They send allot of interesting stuff... I am a history nut, I wish the History Channel would get rid of all their action and reality garbage shows and go back to strictly history stuff. There are plenty of other channels for the other stuff. JMHO. Occasionally PBS has good history stuff occasioanally.

Budog.