Inventor: Scans Reveal Mona Lisa Secrets

Al Sydnor, at right, examines a magnified version of Leonardo da Vinci's "Mona Lisa," including the eyes and the famous smile, in the "Da Vinci: Exhibition of Genius" exhibit at the Metreon in San Francisco, Friday, Oct. 19, 2007. The exhibit showcases the work of French engineer Pascal Cotte, who was allowed to photograph the original masterpiece and has broken it down to various versions; including an infrared image, an image with and without the varnish and a depiction of what the painting might have looked like when it was first finished by Da Vinci. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez) (Marcio Jose Sanchez - AP)

Working with his 22-gigabyte digital photo, made using 13 different color filters rather than the typical three or four found in consumer-grade digital cameras, Cotte created a reproduction of the Mona Lisa with the light blues and brilliant whites he thinks represent the painting in its original form.

"For the next generation, we guarantee that forever you will have the true color of this painting," Cotte said.

Though some art historians have expressed skepticism about Cotte's findings, he hopes his technique can be used as a guide for future restoration work on not just the "Mona Lisa," but also on aging art treasures around the world.

Since scanning the "Mona Lisa," Cotte has made super-high-resolution photographs of more than 500 paintings, including works by Van Gogh, Brueghel, Courbet and other European masters.

"To communicate our cultural heritage to our kids, we need to provide the maximum of information," Cotte said.

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On the Web:

Mona Lisa Revealed: http://www.monalisarevealed.com