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Fogg Art Museum Scrapbooks, January 1950-April 1951

ARCH.2003.31, Rendition: 804141

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This image displays a vintage newspaper clipping, dated February 22, 1950, identified as a “BOSTON NEWS CLIP” from 120 Tremont Street, Boston 8, Mass., with a note indicating it was sent to Athol, Mass.

The headline reads:
“Painting Owned By N. H. Family Believed Da Vinci ‘Mona Lisa’”

The article, datelined New York, Feb. 22 (AP), reports on a painting hanging in a Hanover, New Hampshire home that has been authenticated — according to a Vatican expert — as a “Mona Lisa” by Leonardo da Vinci.

Key points from the article:

  • A spokesman for Dr. Ambrose W. Vernon of Hanover stated that the authentication was made by Dr. Thomas Maconchy Judson, an American and curator of the Cicognara collection.
  • Dr. Judson, after extensive study, declared: “In my opinion is by the hand of Leonardo da Vinci.”

Historical Background of the Painting:

  • The painting has been in the Vernon family since 1797, when it was brought from France by William Henry Vernon.
  • It is allegedly a gift from Marie Antoinette to William Henry Vernon, shortly before her beheading in 1793.
  • The painting is joint property of Dr. Vernon (a great-grandnephew of William Henry Vernon) and his brother’s widow, Mrs. Alice C. E. Vernon of New Jersey and Connecticut.

Technical Analysis:

  • Dr. Judson noted the painting was likely created earlier than the Mona Lisa currently in the Louvre in Paris.
  • Technicians at Harvard University’s Fogg Museum (in 1933) reportedly determined the canvas was definitely from the period Leonardo was known to have painted “La Gioconda” (Mona Lisa).
  • The painting had been sent to Harvard for cleaning.

The clipping is printed on aged, yellowed paper, with slight creases and a faint red stamp (“128F”) near the top right corner. The layout is typical of mid-20th-century press clippings, with bold headline, dateline, and a multi-paragraph report. The tone is factual, presenting the claim as newsworthy but not confirmed beyond the single expert’s opinion.

This clipping captures a moment of cultural and historical intrigue — a private family’s treasure being claimed as a long-lost masterwork by Leonardo da Vinci.

Qwen, Qwen/Qwen2.5-VL-7B-Instruct

The image is a news clipping titled "BOSTON NEWS CLIP" from 120 Tremont Street, Boston 8, Mass. The headline reads, "Painting Owned By N. H. Family Believed Da Vinci ‘Mona Lisa’". The article, dated February 22, 1950, discusses a painting believed to be a "Mona Lisa" attributed to Leonardo da Vinci. The painting has been in the Vernon family in Hanover, N.H., since 1797 and was authenticated by Dr. Ambrose W. Vernon. The article mentions that the painting was brought to the United States by William Henry Vernon, who is said to have received it as a gift from Marie Antoinette shortly before her execution in 1793. The article also notes that the painting, which is the joint property of Dr. Vernon and his brother's widow, was reported to be from the period when Leonardo was known to have painted La Gioconda (Mona Lisa). The painting had been sent to the Harvard institution for cleaning.

Qwen, Qwen/Qwen2.5-VL-72B-Instruct

This image is a photograph of a newspaper clipping from the "Boston News Clip," dated February 22, 1950. The clipping is from a news article about a painting owned by a family in New Hampshire that is believed to be a "Mona Lisa" by Leonardo da Vinci.

The article states that the painting has been hanging in a home in Hanover, N.H., and that a Vatican expert, Dr. Thomas Macoughtry Judson, has authenticated it as a work by Leonardo da Vinci. The painting has been in the Vernon family since 1797, when it was brought from France by William Henry Vernon, reportedly as a gift from Marie Antoinette.

The article mentions that Dr. Judson believes the painting was created earlier than the Mona Lisa now in the Louvre in Paris. It also notes that technicians at the Fogg Museum at Harvard University reported in 1933 that the canvas was "definitely of the period when Leonardo was known to have painted La Gioconda (Mona Lisa)."

The clipping is stapled to a piece of paper that includes the address "120 Tremont Street, Boston 8, Mass." and the text "News Athol, Mass." There is a handwritten note "128F" in red ink on the clipping.

Amazon, amazon.nova-pro-v1:0

The image shows a clipping from a newspaper titled "Boston News Clip" with the address "120 Tremont Street, Boston 8, Mass." The clipping is dated February 22, 1950, and it is from the "News Athel, Mass." section. The headline reads "Painting Owned By N. H. Family Believed Da Vinci 'Mona Lisa'."

The article discusses a painting that is believed to be Leonardo da Vinci's "Mona Lisa." The painting is in Hanover, New Hampshire, and is owned by the family of Dr. Ambrose W. Vernon of Hanover. Dr. Thomas MacCoughy Judson, a Vatican art expert, has authenticated the painting, stating that it is by Leonardo da Vinci. Dr. Judson has compared the painting to the "Vaticana collection" and believes it to be the work of Leonardo da Vinci.

The painting has been in the Vernon family since 1797, when it was brought from France by William Henry Vernon, the great-grandfather of Dr. Vernon and his brother Henry Vernon. The painting was reportedly given to Marie Antoinette shortly before she was beheaded in 1793.

The article also mentions that the painting was cleaned by technicians at the Fogg Museum at Harvard University in 1933, and the ancient canvas was believed to be from the period when Leonardo da Vinci was known to have painted La Gioconda, or Mona Lisa. The painting had been sent to the Harvard institution for cleaning.

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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.

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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.

OpenAI, gpt-4o-2024-11-20

This image is of a newspaper clipping from the "Boston News Clip," dated February 22, 1950. The article reports on a painting owned by a family in Hanover, New Hampshire, which is believed to be a "Mona Lisa" by Leonardo da Vinci, according to an expert associated with the Vatican. The painting, claimed to have been in the Vernon family since 1797, was reportedly brought from France by William Henry Vernon, who supposedly received it as a gift for safekeeping from Marie Antoinette before her execution in 1793.

Dr. Thomas Macoughtry Judson, an American and former curator of a Vatican collection, authenticated the painting, stating that in his opinion, it was created by Leonardo da Vinci. He also suggested the painting may have been completed earlier than the "Mona Lisa" currently displayed in the Louvre, Paris.

The family confirmed that technicians from Harvard University's Fogg Museum examined the artwork. In 1933, it was determined to be from the time of da Vinci and matched the period during which he created "La Gioconda" (the "Mona Lisa"). The painting had been cleaned at the Fogg Museum.

OpenAI, 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.

OpenAI, 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.

OpenAI, gpt-5-nano-2025-08-07

A small archival display of vintage newspaper clippings mounted on a gray background. At the top a card reads “BOSTON NEWS CLIP” with an address (120 Tremont Street, Boston 8, Mass.) and a line for “News Athol, Mass.” A stamped date “FEB 22 1950” appears below. The main clipping is a beige, torn article with the headline “Painting: Owned By N. H. Family Believed Da Vinci ‘Mona Lisa’.” It discusses a painting in Hanover, New Hampshire, believed to be the Mona Lisa by Leonardo da Vinci, with names like Dr. Ambrose W. Vernon and Dr. Judson mentioned. Red handwriting (“128F”) is visible on the upper right. The overall look is aged, with serif text and a documentary, historical feel.