The first day we went to the Prado, my eye caught on something familiar, which is not unusual since I knew a lot of the paintings from the first time we were here. But what registered in my periphery was both familiar and unfamiliar. That stare… that half smile… not something I’d actually seen in person. I actually initially walked past it, then did an about face about 10 feet away and marched right back. I know where I saw that before, that’s the Mona Lisa! Except, wrong museum, and there was so much… different with it. It was weird. So I stopped and looked at it.

The painting in front of me was… bright, beautiful, colorful, human. She’s not lost her mystery for looking like a real person. Ok, so maybe she’s not quite as refined, but the stylistic differences are charming. She looks real, tired, but almost happy. The landscape in the background is calming, and I love the little bridge over the river. The whole painting is bright and uplifting, soft and engaging. I feel like I’m about to sit down to have a pleasant conversation over wine with a nice italian lady.

What makes this copy of the Mona Lisa stand out from all the others is its age. It sat in the royal collection from 1666 onwards, being called a handmaiden of Leonardo Abince, assumed to be another woman made in the style of the Mona Lisa. It was pulled from the Prado’s storage in 2011 and had a technical analysis done on it, which showed that it was an original copy of the Mona Lisa made simultaneously. This was evidenced by the lower layers of both paintings, which pretty much match perfectly. The painting was likely done by one of Leonardo’s closest apprentices, either Salai or Fancisco Melzi.

So if you want to see the Mona Lisa up close, come to the Prado! No line, no glass, no throbbing mob of people. Just a wall, a painting, and the enchantment of her smile.