Monster Mash: New claim of 'Mona Lisa' secret; Andrew Lloyd Webber calls off theater sales

Enigmatic: An Italian researcher has claimed that Leonardo da Vinci painted tiny letters into the eyes of the "Mona Lisa," which may reveal the identity of his model. (The Guardian)

Canceled: The planned sale of four major West End theaters from Andrew Lloyd Webber's Really Useful Group to a consortium has been called off. (Playbill)

Ambitious: An arts organization in upstate New York has commissioned a sculpture using five large pieces of steel from the World Trade Center. (WNYC)

Dissident: Chinese artist Wu Yuren has been in prison since May, despite the efforts of his wife to secure his release. (NPR)

Making a statement: A Canadian string group has canceled its Detroit appearance after refusing to cross the picket line of striking musicians of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra. (Detroit News)

Getting personal: New York City Ballet dancer Jenifer Ringer responds to criticism of her body made by a New York Times dance critic. (New York Times)

Passing: Peter Marzio, the long-time director of the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, has died at the age of 67. (Houston Chronicle)

Jazz great: Saxophonist James Moody has died at the age of 85 in San Diego. (Los Angeles Times)

Also in the L.A. Times: A conversation with Julie Taymor on Broadway's "Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark"; Times music critic Mark Swed reviews Hilary Hahn and the Los Angeles Philharmonic at Disney Hall.

-- David Ng

Photo: Visitors at the Louvre Museum in Paris congregate around Leonardo da Vinci's  "Mona Lisa." Credit: Remy de la Mauviniere / Associated Press

Comments

[EEH]

I think this obsession with the Mona Lisa is inexplicable. I'm sure if you run over most old paintings with a microscope, because of the process of their creation or aging, you'll find some collection of letters, numbers and images. Interpreting those would be, I think, akin to numerology: finding patterns that don't exist.