Italians, long known as the Ciao-Baby romantics they are, have debated the nuances of the Mona Lisa's (a.k.a. "La Gioconda" smile since the sixteenth century. Is it a smirk? Is it a veiled scowl? Is it a simple smile?

Now, thanks to that romance-wrecker known as Science, we can interpret her emotions without having to rely on anything fancy, like instinct.

In what they viewed as a fun demonstration of technology rather than a serious experiment, the researchers [at the University of Amsterdam] scanned a reproduction of Leonardo da Vinci's masterpiece and subjected it to cutting-edge "emotion recognition" software, developed in collaboration with the University of Illinois.

The result showed the painting's famous subject was 83 percent happy, 9 percent disgusted, 6 percent fearful and 2 percent angry. She was less than 1 percent neutral, and not at all surprised.

I am 98% impressed.

Harro Stokman, a professor at the University of Amsterdam involved in the experiment, said the researchers knew the results would be unscientific the software isn't designed to register subtle emotions. So it couldn't detect the hint of sexual suggestion or disdain many have read into Mona Lisa's eyes.

(I'm trying to imagine people m-bating to this painting. Then again, maybe not).

Hooraydiation

Boston, MA

October 2005

DEC 15, 2005 06:34 PM

I couldn't masturbate to a girl with no eyebrows.

Or could I....

zenFish

Vancouver, BC

August 2004

DEC 15, 2005 06:37 PM

personally I prefer the explanation from Brucie's movie "The Hudson Hawk", there is a portion where the viewer is shown the mona lisa being worked on... sans mouth... and appearently it's due to that the model, has REALLY bad teeth.

maybe thats the reason for the smirk?

or maybe here's another thing, just leave it the bloody well alone and appreciate the art, and stop trying to 'read' into it.

that is all.

unnecessaryz

Astoria, NY

July 2003

DEC 15, 2005 06:54 PM

zenFish said:
personally I prefer the explanation from Brucie's movie "The Hudson Hawk",

Holy shit. Fuck the science, now I'm stuck trying to wrap my head around the fact that someone just refered to Hudson Hawk with anything but mockery.

zenFish

Vancouver, BC

August 2004

DEC 15, 2005 07:26 PM

UnnecessaryZ said:

zenFish said:
personally I prefer the explanation from Brucie's movie "The Hudson Hawk",

Holy shit. Fuck the science, now I'm stuck trying to wrap my head around the fact that someone just refered to Hudson Hawk with anything but mockery.

hey now, I was just tossing out the idea.

and for a simple point, I actually like that movie.

/shrugs/

AkiraLi

Norristown, PA

March 2003

DEC 15, 2005 07:32 PM

zenFish said:

UnnecessaryZ said:

zenFish said:
personally I prefer the explanation from Brucie's movie "The Hudson Hawk",

Holy shit. Fuck the science, now I'm stuck trying to wrap my head around the fact that someone just refered to Hudson Hawk with anything but mockery.

hey now, I was just tossing out the idea.

and for a simple point, I actually like that movie.

/shrugs/

You aren't alone.

Dylan

SUICIDEGIRL

United Kingdom

DEC 15, 2005 07:51 PM

Aren't there loads of theories that she may have been a he? Or pregnant. Or jaundiced. And I'd heard the bad teeth one too.
It's a bloody painting, she was probably getting a bit tired of holding the same fixed expression for hours.

gut666

Moreno Valley, CA

April 2005

DEC 15, 2005 08:08 PM

its a im gonna beat the shit out of you smile .

Ziricote

United Kingdom

January 2005

DEC 15, 2005 08:34 PM

Dylan said:
Aren't there loads of theories that she may have been a he? Or pregnant. Or jaundiced. And I'd heard the bad teeth one too.
It's a bloody painting, she was probably getting a bit tired of holding the same fixed expression for hours.

I'd have to say it could be all of the above.

SirPsychoSexy

Ridgewood, NJ

January 2004

DEC 15, 2005 08:41 PM

I have always personally liked to think that she left early or something and DV drew in the smile himself. From some of the stuff in his other paintings (like angels and other things he never saw) it is totally possible that he drew the smile completely from his mind because the painting "needed something". I doubt those who contracted him to do the work actually minded much.

ThisIsWhoWeAre

Oakland, CA

July 2004

DEC 16, 2005 02:21 AM

Akira said:

zenFish said:

UnnecessaryZ said:

zenFish said:
personally I prefer the explanation from Brucie's movie "The Hudson Hawk",

Holy shit. Fuck the science, now I'm stuck trying to wrap my head around the fact that someone just refered to Hudson Hawk with anything but mockery.

hey now, I was just tossing out the idea.

and for a simple point, I actually like that movie.

/shrugs/

You aren't alone.

Big time... I LOVE that movie!

sickboyedd

United Kingdom

January 2004

DEC 16, 2005 03:45 AM

I reckon she wasn't allowed to eat during the painting and when no one was looking slipped a toffee in. The smile is pretty much like the one we used to give teachers when we were naughtily eating in class and they caught us with a full mouth.

bairdduvessa

Centerville, MA

April 2005

DEC 18, 2005 10:39 PM

the truth was she was chewing some tobacco and bit her cheek; but she had suffered a stroke and didn't have facial muscle control back yet. But that was the result

turmoille

Saint Stephen, SC

November 2005

DEC 18, 2005 11:16 PM

ive always thought she looked a bit smug.

swingkitten

Portland, OR

OLD SKOOL

DEC 19, 2005 01:35 AM

I actually bought a tabloid magazine once simply because the cover title was "MONA LISA WAS A HOOKER!!!"

Rosscoe

I'm lost

March 2005

DEC 19, 2005 03:16 AM

Hooraydiation said:
I couldn't masturbate to a girl with no eyebrows.

Or could I....

I found this rather amusing.

frisinator

Forney, TX

May 2004

DEC 19, 2005 11:30 AM

UnnecessaryZ said:

zenFish said:
personally I prefer the explanation from Brucie's movie "The Hudson Hawk",

Holy shit. Fuck the science, now I'm stuck trying to wrap my head around the fact that someone just refered to Hudson Hawk with anything but mockery.

hahahahahahahahahahahaha no shit

BOARDS:

TOPICS:

_Sarah_

Kalamazoo, MI

January 2003

DEC 15, 2005 06:25 PM

Boston, MA

October 2005

DEC 15, 2005 06:34 PM

Vancouver, BC

August 2004

DEC 15, 2005 06:37 PM

Astoria, NY

July 2003

DEC 15, 2005 06:54 PM

Vancouver, BC

August 2004

DEC 15, 2005 07:26 PM

Norristown, PA

March 2003

DEC 15, 2005 07:32 PM

SUICIDEGIRL

United Kingdom

DEC 15, 2005 07:51 PM

gut666

Moreno Valley, CA

April 2005

DEC 15, 2005 08:08 PM

United Kingdom

January 2005

DEC 15, 2005 08:34 PM

Ridgewood, NJ

January 2004

DEC 15, 2005 08:41 PM

Oakland, CA

July 2004

DEC 16, 2005 02:21 AM

United Kingdom

January 2004

DEC 16, 2005 03:45 AM

Centerville, MA

April 2005

DEC 18, 2005 10:39 PM

Saint Stephen, SC

November 2005

DEC 18, 2005 11:16 PM

Portland, OR

OLD SKOOL

DEC 19, 2005 01:35 AM

I'm lost

March 2005

DEC 19, 2005 03:16 AM

Forney, TX

May 2004

DEC 19, 2005 11:30 AM