Mona Lisa’s eyes may contain new code from Da Vinci

Monday, December 13th, 2010 By Mary Rice

Mona Lisa's eyes may contain a secret message. Image: Flickr / usagent / CC-BY-ND

Mona Lisa has long been an object of mystery and speculation. The latest discovery of numbers and letters in Mona Lisa’s eyes makes that mystery even deeper. Italy’s National Committee for Cultural Heritage announced the discovery earlier today.

Mona Lisa eyes carry a secret message

The Mona Lisa painting is one of the most enigmatic and mysterious in historical modern art. Everything from fictional books to serious scientific study has tried to determine everything from the identity of Mona Lisa to the secret messages the painting might contain. The newest discovery in Mona Lisa’s eyes adds to this speculation. Under ultra-high magnification, there are letters and possibly numbers hidden in the Mona Lisa’s eyes. The right eye appears to contain the letters “LV” while the left eye has what could be a “C” and “E” or possibly a “B.” The arch of the bridge in the background of the painting appears to have either a “72″ or “L2″ in the paint. See one of the magnifications at the Daily Mail.

Why look in Mona Lisa’s eyes?

One of the most interesting tidbits about the Mona Lisa eyes discovery is why scientists magnified her eyes in the first place. A member of the Italian National Committee for Cultural Heritage initiated the project after finding an old book in an antique shop. The unidentified book apparently referred to the “symbols in Mona Lisa’s eyes.” After reading that, the Italian National Committee magnified the painting to look for the symbols — and found them.

Theories about Mona Lisa eyes message

Though the letters and possibly numbers in Mona Lisa’s eyes have only just been discovered, there are already multiple theories as to their meaning. Some say that the “LV” could represent the artist himself, Leonardo Da Vinci. Some say that the numbers represent a secret love note to the subject of the painting, though some argue the Mona Lisa is a feminized portrait of Da Vinci himself. Others say that the letters may be a social or political secret message. Fans of books such as Lewis Purdue’s “Da Vinci Legacy” and Dan Brown’s “The Da Vinci Code” may even believe it is a religious message. What do you think the message in Mona Lisa’s eyes means?