Painting is in good shape

OTTAWA: The Mona Lisa is in fragile condition but should not suffer too much damage if taken care of properly, experts who studied the painting closely said on Tuesday. “The wood panel on which the Mona Lisa is painted is sensitive to temperature and climate variations. However, if its current storage conditions are maintained, there is no risk of degradation,” Canada's National Research Council (NRC) said in a statement on Tuesday.

“The 12 cm (3-1/2 inch) split on the top half of the painting, which was probably due to the removal of the original frame and repaired between the middle of the 18th and beginning of the 19th century, appears to be stable and has not worsened over time,” the council said.

It said close examination of the craquelure — the fine pattern of cracks formed on old paintings — “seems to corroborate other inspection techniques and conclusions that support the principle of minimum intervention on the painting as recommended by the experts.”