Madrid Museum Finds 'Copy of Mona Lisa by da Vinci Pupil'

A painting thought to be the earliest copy of Leonardo da Vinci's Mona Lisa and painted alongside the original has been discovered in Madrid's Prado museum, giving a fresh insight into what the model for one of the world's most famous paintings actually looked like.

Recent conservation work reveals that the work was painted by a pupil working alongside Leonardo da Vinci

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A close up of the recently renovated painting (left) and Leonardo da Vinci's Mona Lisa

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Recent conservation work reveals that the work was painted by a pupil working alongside Leonardo da Vinci Photo: Museo Nacional del Pradio

 A close up of the recently renovated painting (left) and Leonardo da Vinci's Mona Lisa

The discovery, hailed as one of the most remarkable in recent times, was made during conservation work and is believed to reveal how the famous sitter would have looked at the time.

"This sensational find will transform our understanding of the world's most famous picture," said Art Newspaper which published the findings.

The Prado painting was long thought to be one of dozens surviving replicas of the masterpiece made after Leonardo's death but it is now believed to have been painted by one of his key pupils working alongside the master.

The Louvre original, displayed behind glass, is obscured by cracked darkened varnish, making the woman appear much older than her true age. Because of its fragility, cleaning and restoration is thought to be too risky.

But art historians believe the Prado's Mona Lisa which is in the process of being painstakingly stripped of a dark over-paint reveals her as she would have looked at the time.