It has long been believed that it was Lisa del Giocondo and now the mystery is solved. Somehow it was more intriguing not knowing.
Posted by Judith at January 17, 2008 07:36 PMPretty cool post, Turkana, thanks!
Posted by iamcoyote at January 17, 2008 07:39 PMCan't remember where, but recently I saw a picture of Lincoln on a horse going through a crowd in his top hat. It also had been photo enhanced and was absolutely remarkable.
Posted by Judith at January 17, 2008 07:43 PMEven more interesting, it was discovered by accident. The answer was right under their noses all the time.
Posted by Judith at January 17, 2008 08:13 PMRE: Lincoln inauguration photos. Kewl! I wonder when they misidentified them? How long ago?
RE: Mona Lisa. It was ALWAYS known it was Lisa del Giocondo, ALWAYS. It's in innumerable art history books. It's only been among people looking to stir up stuff for fun and profit, in the popular milieu and academia, that her identity has been questioned. Serious scholars always knew who she was, just like the controversy over who wrote Shakespeare's plays. Well, Shakespeare, of course. This kind of thing is fun, and it creates excitement around art, but there was never really a mystery there, not in this case.
Posted by Brian Bell at January 17, 2008 09:38 PMIn addition to its historical significance, that is true stereoscopic, 3-D photo!
Posted by at January 18, 2008 09:54 AMI want to see the full "Dorian Grey" effect on the portraits of Bush and Cheney that were relegated to the Whitehouse attic in 2001 when it was noticed that their noses were somehow getting longer.
Posted by TIKI AL at January 18, 2008 09:54 AMThis is kick-ass. Thank you.
Posted by Toby Petzold at January 18, 2008 10:57 AMBell:
Well, Shakespeare, of course.
The truth of "Shakespeare's" life is an undiscovered country. Most lovers of Shakespeare don't look into the Question too much because they know it would shock them to know how flimsy the evidence we think we know really is.
Posted by Toby Petzold at January 18, 2008 11:02 AMToby, it's true, not much is known about Shakespeare's life. But the crazy theories -- Francis Bacon, the Earl of Oxford, Marlowe, QE herself -- are supported by even LESS evidence than the evidence that Shakespeare was the author. I'd suggest some of the plays might not be his, but I think the majority was his. He did put his name to it, after all.
Posted by Brian Bell at January 18, 2008 03:22 PM