The Mona Lisa Has No Eyebrows

The curious case of the Mona Lisa's missing eyebrows and eyelashes has been a subject of debate among art historians and enthusiasts for centuries. One compelling explanation comes from scientific analysis. In 2007, French engineer Pascal Cotte used ultra-high resolution digital scans to examine the masterpiece in detail. His multispectral camera magnified the face 24 times and revealed the faint trace of a single brushstroke for a hair above the left eye. This discovery supports the theory that Leonardo da Vinci did, in fact, paint eyebrows and eyelashes on his subject.

The likely disappearance of these delicate features over the last 500 years could be attributed to several factors. Cotte and other experts suggest that the pigments may have faded over time, or that the thin glaze on which these final details were painted has degraded. Another strong possibility is that the eyebrows and eyelashes were inadvertently removed during one of the painting's many cleaning or restoration attempts throughout the centuries. The fine details around the eyes may have been wiped away by a careless restorer.

An alternative theory is rooted in the fashion of the early 16th century. During the Renaissance, a high forehead was considered a mark of beauty and intelligence. To achieve this look, it was customary for aristocratic women to pluck their hairlines and extensively thin or completely remove their eyebrows. Therefore, it is plausible that Leonardo was simply painting his subject as she appeared, adhering to the beauty (Review) standards of the period. This would mean her lack of eyebrows was an intentional artistic choice reflecting the style of the time.