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Fogg Art Museum Scrapbooks, January 1950-April 1951

ARCH.2003.31, Rendition: 804141

Mistral, us.mistral.pixtral-large-2502-v1:0

The image is a news clipping from the Boston News Clip, dated February 22, 1950. The article is titled "Paintings Owned By N.H. Family Believed Da Vinci 'Mona Lisa'".

The article reports that a painting in Hanover, N.H., owned by the Vernon family, is believed to be an early version of the "Mona Lisa" by Leonardo da Vinci. The authenticity of the painting was examined by Dr. Thomas Macoughey Judson, an American art expert and a member of the Vatican's Galleria Colonna collection. Dr. Judson stated that the painting is by the hand of Leonardo da Vinci.

The painting has been in the Vernon family since 1797 when it was brought to the United States from France by William Henry Vernon. The family spokesman mentioned that the painting was received as a gift from Marie Antoinette shortly before her beheading in 1793. The painting is jointly owned by Dr. Vernon and Mrs. Alice C. E. Vernon.

Dr. Judson also mentioned that the masterpiece was painted earlier than the "Mona Lisa" now in the Louvre. The family spokesman noted that technicians at the Fogg Museum at Harvard University reported the painting was "definitely of the period when Leonardo was known to have painted La Gioconda, or Mona Lisa." The painting had been sent to Harvard for cleaning.

Mistral, mistral.ministral-3-14b-instruct

The image is a black-and-white newspaper clipping from the Boston News Clip, dated February 22, 1950. The headline reads "Painting Owned By N.H. Family Believed Da Vinci 'Mona Lisa'."

The article states that a painting owned by the Vernon family from Hanover, New Hampshire, is believed to be a "Mona Lisa" by Leonardo da Vinci. The authentication was carried out by Dr. Thomas Macougthry Judson, an American who is the curator of the Cogornoara collection in the Vatican.

Dr. Judson has concluded that the painting is indeed by the hand of Leonardo da Vinci, based on extensive study and tests. The painting has been in the Vernon family since 1797, when it was brought from France by William Henry Vernon, the grandfather of Dr. Ambrose W. Vernon. It was reported that William Henry Vernon received the painting as a gift from Marie Antoinette shortly before she was beheaded in 1793.

The painting was jointly owned by Dr. Vernon, his great-grandnephew William Henry Vernon, and Mrs. Alice C. E. Vernon of New Jersey and Connecticut. Dr. Judson also mentioned that the masterpiece was painted earlier than the Mona Lisa now hanging in the Louvre in Paris.

The family spokesman noted that the painting was sent to the Fogg Museum at Harvard University for cleaning, and experts there confirmed that it was definitely painted during the period when Leonardo was known to have painted La Gioconda (Mona Lisa).

Mistral, mistral.ministral-3-8b-instruct

The image is a newspaper clipping from the Boston News Clip, dated February 22, 1950. The article discusses a painting owned by the N.H. (New Hampshire) family, which is believed to be a "Mona Lisa" by Leonardo da Vinci.

Key points from the article include:

  1. Authenticity Claim: A painting in the possession of Dr. Ambrose W. Vernon of Hanover, NH, is believed to be a "Mona Lisa" by Leonardo da Vinci. The authentication was made by Dr. Thomas Macountry Judson, an American art expert and curator of the Cognacq-Jay collection in Paris.

  2. Expert Opinion: Dr. Judson, after extensive study and tests, concluded that the Vernon painting is indeed by Leonardo da Vinci.

  3. Family History: The painting has been in the Vernon family since 1797, when it was brought from France by William Henry Vernon. It is said that Vernon received the painting as a gift from Marie Antoinette shortly before her execution in 1793.

  4. Ownership and Lineage: The painting was jointly owned by Dr. Vernon, his great-grandson William Henry Vernon, and Mrs. Alice C. E. Vernon of New Jersey and Connecticut.

  5. Historical Context: The article mentions that the painting was painted earlier than the Mona Lisa now in the Louvre in Paris. Additionally, the painting was sent to Harvard University for cleaning and analysis.

  6. Technical Insight: Technicians at the Harvard University's Fogg Museum reported that the painting was definitely from the period when Leonardo da Vinci was known to have painted La Gioconda (Mona Lisa).

The newspaper clipping provides historical and art historical context to the claim that the Vernon family painting could be an authentic work by Leonardo da Vinci.

Mistral, mistral.ministral-3-3b-instruct

The image is a newspaper clipping from February 22, 1950, from the Boston News Clip, located at 120 Tremont Street, Boston, Massachusetts. The headline reads "Painting Owned By N.H. Family Believed Da Vinci 'Mona Lisa'."

Here are the key details from the article:

  1. Context and Background:

    • The painting in question is believed to be a version of Leonardo da Vinci's "Mona Lisa," which is hanging in a home in Hanover, New Hampshire.
  2. Authentication:

    • An expert, Dr. Ambrose W. Vernon, confirmed the authenticity of the painting by Dr. Thomas MacCaughey Judson, who is a curator at the Philadelphia Museum of Art's Cogongara collection.
    • Judson conducted extensive study and testing, concluding that the painting is indeed by Leonardo da Vinci.
  3. Historical Background:

    • The painting has been in the Vernon family since 1797, brought from France by William Henry Vernon, a great-grandson of the painting's original owner, Marie Antoinette.
    • Marie Antoinette reportedly received the painting as a gift for safekeeping before her beheading in 1793.
  4. Ownership and Context:

    • The painting is currently owned by Dr. Vernon's descendants, including Alice C. E. Vernon of New Jersey and Connecticut.
    • It was painted earlier than the more famous "Mona Lisa" currently displayed in the Louvre, Paris.
  5. Additional Details:

    • The painting was sent to the Harvard Institute for cleaning.
    • Technicians at Harvard University reported that the painting was known to be by Leonardo during the period it was painted (La Gioconda or Mona Lisa).

This article highlights the intriguing history and authentication process of a painting believed to be an early version of the famous "Mona Lisa."

Mistral, mistral.magistral-small-2509

The image shows a newspaper clipping from the Boston News Clip, dated February 22, 1950. The article, titled 'Painting Owned By N. H. Family Believed Da Vinci "Mona Lisa"', discusses a painting hanging in Hanover, N.H., which a Vatican expert, Dr. Thomas MacGoughry Judson, believes to be an original "Mona Lisa" by Leonardo da Vinci. The painting has been in the Vernon family since 1797, brought to New Hampshire by William Henry Vernon, who reportedly received it from Marie Antoinette. The article mentions that the painting is currently in the joint ownership of Dr. Vernon, his grandmother, and his brother's widow. Additionally, it notes that technicians at the Fogg Museum at Harvard University confirmed that the painting is from the period when Leonardo da Vinci was known to have painted the Mona Lisa. The painting had been sent to the Harvard institution for cleaning.

Mistral, mistral.mistral-large-3-675b-instruct

The image is a news clipping from the "Boston News Clip" dated February 2, 1950. The article is titled "Painting Owned By N.H. Family Believed Da Vinci 'Mona Lisa'."

Here are the key points from the article:

  1. Discovery of the Painting:

    • A painting in Hanover, New Hampshire, is believed by a Vatican expert to be the original "Mona Lisa" by Leonardo da Vinci.
    • The painting has been owned by the Vernon family.
  2. Expert Opinion:

    • Dr. Thomas MacGonigal Judson, a former curator of the Cincinnati collection of the Vatican, has authenticated the painting.
    • Dr. Judson stated that extensive study and tests indicate that the painting is by Leonardo da Vinci, dating it back to around 1497.
  3. History of the Painting:

    • The painting has been in the Vernon family since 1793 when it was brought from France by William Henry Vernon.
    • According to family lore, William Henry Vernon received the painting as a gift for safekeeping from Marie Antoinette shortly before her beheading in 1793.
  4. Family Lineage:

    • The painting was inherited by Dr. Vernon, a descendant of William Henry Vernon, and had been passed through the family.
    • William Henry Vernon was a great-grandnephew of William Vernon, and his brother's widow was Mrs. Alice C. E. Vernon of New Jersey and Connecticut.
  5. Previous Findings:

    • Dr. Judson mentioned that the masterpiece might have been painted earlier than the "Mona Lisa" currently in the Louvre in Paris.
    • A report from Harvard University in 1923 indicated that the ancient canvas was definitively from the period when Leonardo was known to have painted the "Mona Lisa" (La Gioconda).
  6. Current Status:

    • The painting had been sent to Harvard for cleaning at the time of the article.

The article suggests a significant historical and artistic discovery, potentially identifying the Vernon family's painting as the original "Mona Lisa."

Azure OpenAI Service, gpt-4

This image shows a newspaper clipping from the "Boston News Clip" dated February 22, 1950. The headline is about a painting owned by a family in New Hampshire that is believed to be the 'Mona Lisa' by Leonardo da Vinci. The article details that a Vatican expert, Dr. Thomas Macoughtry Judson, after extensive study and tests, opined that the painting is by the hand of da Vinci and that it has been in the Vernon family's possession since 1797.

It also mentions a connection to Marie Antoinette, suggesting the painting was received as a gift for safekeeping before her beheading in 1793. The painting is described as jointly owned by Dr. Vernon, a great-grandnephew of William Henry Vernon, his brother's widow, and Mrs. Alice C. E. Vernon of New Jersey and Connecticut.

Furthermore, the article notes that the masterpiece was painted earlier than the Mona Lisa hanging in the Louvre. Technicians at the Fogg Museum at Harvard University claimed in 1933 that the canvas was "definitely of the period when Leonardo was known to have painted La Gioconda (Mona Lisa)." Lastly, it is stated that the painting had been sent to Harvard for cleaning. The clipping carries marks of age and folds, typical of vintage print materials.

Azure OpenAI Service, gpt-4.1-mini-2025-04-14

The image shows a clipped newspaper article titled "Painting Owned By N.H. Family Believed Da Vinci ‘Mona Lisa’," which is dated February 22, 1950, and is from the Boston News Clip, located at 120 Tremont Street, Boston 8, Massachusetts. The article reports that a painting hanging in a Hanover, New Hampshire home is believed by a Vatican expert to be a “Mona Lisa” by Leonardo da Vinci.

The article mentions a spokesman for Dr. Ambrose W. Vernon of Hanover who states that the authentication was made by Dr. Thomas Macoughty Judson, an American and curator of the Cicognara collection of the Vatican. Dr. Judson believed, after extensive study, that the Vernon painting is by the hand of Leonardo da Vinci.

The painting has been in the Vernon family since 1797, brought from France by William Henry Vernon. It is said that William Henry Vernon received the painting as a gift for safekeeping from Marie Antoinette shortly before she was beheaded in 1793.

The painting is jointly owned by Dr. Vernon, a great-grandnephew of William Henry Vernon, and his brother’s widow, Mrs. Alice C.E. Vernon of New Jersey and Connecticut.

Dr. Judson was also quoted as saying the masterpiece was painted earlier than the Mona Lisa currently hanging in the Louvre in Paris. The family spokesman adds that technicians at the Fogg Museum at Harvard University reported in 1933 that the ancient canvas was definitively from the period when Leonardo was known to paint La Gioconda (Mona Lisa). The painting had been sent to the Harvard institution for cleaning.

Amazon, amazon.nova-lite-v1:0

The image is a scanned document, likely from a newspaper clipping, featuring a headline that reads "Painting Owned By N. H. Family Believed Da Vinci 'Mona Lisa'" with a date of February 22, 1950. The document appears to be a news article discussing a painting that the New Hampshire family believes to be Leonardo da Vinci's "Mona Lisa." The article mentions that the painting has been in the family since 1797 and was brought to the United States by William Henry Vernon from France. It also includes quotes from Dr. Ambrose Vernon of Hanover, Dr. Thomas Macdougall Judson, and Dr. Judson's American colleague, Dr. Leonard C. E. Ambrose, who authenticates the painting as being by Leonardo da Vinci. The article discusses the painting's history, including its time at the Fogg Museum at Harvard University, and mentions that the painting had been sent to the Harvard institution for cleaning.

Amazon, us.amazon.nova-2-lite-v1:0

Description of the Image:

The image shows a news clipping from the Boston News Clip, dated February 22, 1950, and originating from Athol, Massachusetts. The clipping is titled "Painting Owned By N. H. Family Believed Da Vinci 'Mona Lisa'" and is sourced from New York, dated February 22 (AP).

Key Details from the Clipping:

  1. Headline:

    • The headline states that a painting believed to be the "Mona Lisa" by Leonardo da Vinci is owned by a family in Hanover, New Hampshire.
  2. Authenticity Claim:

    • An expert, Dr. Ambrose Vernon, a spokesman for Dr. Thomas Macoughty Judson, claims the painting is an authentic work by Leonardo da Vinci. Dr. Judson is identified as an American curator of the Cloisters collection of the Vatican.
  3. Verification Process:

    • Dr. Judson reportedly conducted extensive study and testing to confirm the painting's authenticity. He stated, "In my opinion the Vernon painting is painted by Leonardo da Vinci."
  4. History of the Painting:

    • The painting has been in the Vernon family since 1791, when it was brought from France by William Henry Vernon, the grandfather of Dr. Vernon.
    • It is said to have been a gift received shortly before Marie Antoinette was beheaded in 1792.
  5. Provenance and Significance:

    • Dr. Judson claims the painting was created earlier than the Louvre's Mona Lisa, now hanging in Paris.
    • The family spokesman mentioned that the painting was jointly owned by Dr. William Henry Vernon (grandson of Dr. Vernon), his widow Mrs. Alice C.E. Vernon, and his brother from New Jersey and Connecticut.
  6. Technical Analysis:

    • Technicians at the Fogg Museum at Harvard University reported in 1932 that the canvas was definitely of the period when Leonardo was known to have painted the Gioconda (Mona Lisa).
  7. Current Status:

    • The painting had been sent to the Harvard institution for cleaning.

Visual Characteristics of the Clipping:

  • The clipping appears to be a photocopy or scanned reproduction of the original news article.
  • The text is typed, and the layout includes a header with the Boston News Clip logo and address:
    • 120 Tremont Street, Boston 8, Mass.
  • The date February 22, 1950, is prominently displayed at the top.
  • The article is single-spaced, with clear paragraph breaks and a structured format typical of news clippings.

Contextual Notes:

  • The article suggests a significant historical and artistic claim, asserting that a private family in New Hampshire possesses a painting believed to be an earlier version of the famous Mona Lisa by Leonardo da Vinci.
  • The involvement of experts and institutions like Harvard University adds credibility to the claim, though it also hints at the potential for controversy or debate in the art world.

This clipping provides a snapshot of a sensational news story from the early 1950s, highlighting the intersection of art, history, and private ownership.