No portrait is as famous as the Mona Lisa… except maybe an earlier version of the Mona Lisa. The earlier version is known as the Isleworth Mona Lisa, and it was discovered by a British art collector shortly before World War I. The painting was sent to America during World War I, then made its way back to Italy before finally being sent to a Swiss bank vault, where it remained for forty years until 2012.
Art historians and experts have been working to determine whether or not the portrait is authentic, but it is believed that the elements are similar enough to deduce that the Isleworth Mona Lisa was, in fact, also painted by Leonardo da Vinci. Others believe that this other painting is just a centuries-old reproduction of the original Mona Lisa, much like people can turn to the internet for reprints in today’s times. Either way, it is a find that has art enthusiasts questioning five hundred years of art knowledge.