But now computer technology has been used to bring the Mona Lisa to life like never before.

 

An interactive¹ version of the famous painting by Leonardo da Vinci allows her to turn her head, pucker² her lips, frown and even breathe.

 

The Living Mona Lisa project uses artificial intelligence (AI) to transform the oil painting into a living, moving work of art.

 

While it does not perhaps tell us anything new about the woman in the painting – thought to be Lisa Gherardini – it perhaps lets viewers see her as da Vinci did while she posed for him.

 

The living painting uses motion sensing devices to pick up movements in the room, triggering reactions and 'mood' changes in the digital Mona Lisa.

 

The team behind the project, which consisted of 40 technicians and artists, plan to produce digital Mona Lisas in a variety of sizes and formats³, including miniature versions that can be placed on pendants.

 

To create their digital version of the painting, the team first used specialised computer software to capture a three dimensional wire frame image of the portrait.

 

They used computer technology that aims to mimic⁴ real-life movement so that when the figure moves, it appears to do so in three dimensions.

 

They have combined this with the kind of motion sensing and facial recognition devices used on video game consoles.

 

This allows the digital painting to tell when a viewer is looking directly at it. When no one is looking, the painting poses in profile as if lost in thought.

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