Archives Scrapbooks

Ctrl-C, Ctrl-V. Rinse, repeat.

Fogg Art Museum Scrapbooks, January 1950-April 1951

ARCH.2003.31, Rendition: 804142

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

The image displays a newspaper clipping titled "New Da Vinci 'Mona Lisa' Turns Up in New Hampshire." This article, dated February 22, 1950, from the Berkshire Eagle in Pittsfield, Massachusetts, reports on a painting that was identified as a possible "Mona Lisa" by Leonardo Da Vinci. The clipping is marked with the location "120 Tremont Street Boston 8, Mass." It mentions that the painting was authenticated by Dr. Thomas Macoughtry Judson, who is associated with the Vatican's Cicognara collection. The piece also provides some background on the painting's history and its connection to the Vernon family, mentioning that it has been in their possession since 1797. The article includes several quotes and details about the painting's history and authentication process, suggesting it is a significant historical report about a potential Da Vinci artwork.

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

This image is of a newspaper clipping from "The Berkshire Eagle," a newspaper from Pittsfield, Massachusetts, dated February 22, 1950. The headline reads, "New Da Vinci 'Mona Lisa' Turns Up in New Hampshire."

The article discusses a painting discovered in Hanover, New Hampshire, which a Vatican expert believes to be another "Mona Lisa" by Leonardo da Vinci. The authentication was carried out by Dr. Thomas Macoughtry Judson, who has been a curator of the Cicognara collection of the Vatican.

The painting has been in the Vernon family since 1797, when it was brought from France by William Henry Vernon. It is reported to have been a gift from Marie Antoinette before her execution in 1793. The painting is jointly owned by Dr. Vernon and his brother's widow, Mrs. Alice C. E. Vernon of New Jersey and Connecticut.

Dr. Judson stated that the masterpiece was painted earlier than the Mona Lisa now hanging in the Louvre in Paris. Technicians at the Fogg Museum at Harvard University reported in 1933 that the ancient canvas was "definitely of the period when Leonardo was known to have painted La Gioconda (Mona Lisa)." The painting had been sent to the Harvard institution for cleaning.

The clipping is from the Boston News Clip service, located at 120 Tremont Street, Boston 8, Mass. There are some handwritten notes and markings on the clipping, including "128F" and a red line.

Qwen, qwen.qwen3-vl-235b-a22b

This image displays a vintage newspaper clipping, mounted or placed beneath a smaller, typed “Boston News Clip” slip, all on a plain, light-colored background.

The Primary Clipping:

The main article is a news report from the Associated Press (AP), datelined “NEW YORK.” Its headline reads:

New Da Vinci ‘Mona Lisa’ Turns Up in New Hampshire

The article details the discovery and authentication of a painting believed to be a second version of Leonardo da Vinci’s “Mona Lisa,” located in Hanover, New Hampshire.

Key Details from the Article:

  • Authentication: The painting was authenticated by Dr. Thomas Macoughtry Judson, an American and curator of the Cioognara collection of the Vatican.
  • Ownership: The painting belonged to Dr. Ambrose W. Vernon of Hanover, N.H. He was the great-grandnephew of William Henry Vernon, who brought the painting from France around 1797.
  • Provenance: It was reportedly received as a gift for safekeeping from Marie Antoinette shortly before her beheading in 1793. It is described as the joint property of Dr. Vernon and his brother’s widow, Mrs. Alice C. E. Vernon.
  • Expert Opinion: Dr. Judson stated, “in my opinion is by the hands of Leonardo Da Vinci.” He also believed it was painted earlier than the famous “Mona Lisa” in the Louvre.
  • Historical Analysis: Technicians at the Fogg Museum, Harvard University, reportedly concluded in 1933 that the canvas was from the period when Leonardo was known to have painted “La Gioconda.”
  • Current Status: The painting had been sent to the Harvard institution for “clearing.”

The clipping is visibly aged, with a yellowish tint. Handwritten red ink notes are present: “1986” is written near the top left, and “FEB 22 1950” is written at the bottom right, likely indicating when the clipping was filed or cataloged.

The “Boston News Clip” Slip:

Placed partially over the top right corner of the article is a small, white slip of paper with black lettering.

  • Header: “BOSTON NEWS CLIP”
  • Address: “120 Tremont Street, Boston 8, Mass.”
  • Source/Client: “Berkshire Eagle, Pittsfield, Mass.”
  • Date: “FEB 22 1950”

This slip indicates the clipping was processed or distributed by a Boston news clipping service for the Berkshire Eagle newspaper on February 22, 1950.

In summary, the image documents a 1950 news report about a controversial discovery—an alleged second “Mona Lisa” by Leonardo da Vinci—found in New Hampshire, with authentication by a Vatican curator and a fascinating, albeit unverified, provenance linking it to Marie Antoinette. The accompanying slip provides context about its archival history.

Amazon, amazon.nova-pro-v1:0

The image depicts a news clipping from a newspaper, possibly from the early 20th century, featuring an article about a painting by Leonardo da Vinci. The clipping is titled "New Da Vinci 'Mona Lisa' Turns Up in New Hampshire." The article discusses the discovery of a painting believed to be by Leonardo da Vinci, titled "Mona Lisa," in Hanover, New Hampshire. The painting has been in the Vernon family since 1797 and was reportedly received as a gift by Dr. William Henry Vernon, a great-grandson of Dr. Vernon, a nephew of William Henry Vernon, and his brother's widow, Mrs. Alice C. E. Vernon of New Jersey and Connecticut. The article also mentions that the painting was authenticated by Dr. Ambrose W. Vernon of Hanover, who is the curator of the Clognara collection of the Vatican. The article includes a quote from Dr. Judson, who has been studying and testing the painting, stating that it is in his opinion by the hands of Leonardo da Vinci. The painting had been sent to Harvard University for cleaning, and technicians at the Fogg Museum reported in 1933 that the ancient canvas was definitely of the period when Leonardo was known to have painted "La Gioconda (Mona Lisa)."

Amazon, amazon.nova-lite-v1:0

The image is a scanned copy of a newspaper clipping. The clipping is from the "Boston News Clip" and dates back to February 22, 1950. The clipping features a headline that reads "New Da Vinci 'Mona Lisa' Turns Up in New Hampshire." The article discusses a painting in Hanover, New Hampshire, which has been authenticated by Dr. Thomas MacCoughtry Judson, an expert from the Vatican, as a "Mona Lisa" by Leonardo Da Vinci. The painting is said to have been in the Vernon family since 1797, brought from France by William Henry Vernon. The article also mentions that the painting is now changing in the Louvre in Paris. The clipping is placed on a white background, and there is a slight discoloration and wear on the edges of the paper, indicating its age.

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

The image shows a newspaper clipping from the Boston News Clip, dated February 22, 1950, and sourced from the Berkshire Eagle in Pittsfield, Mass. The headline of the article is:

"New Da Vinci 'Mona Lisa' Turns Up in New Hampshire"

Key Details from the Article:

  1. Location and Claim:

    • A painting believed to be the "Mona Lisa" by Leonardo da Vinci has reportedly been discovered in Hanover, New Hampshire.
    • The painting is claimed to be in the opinion of a Vatican expert, Dr. Ambrose W. Vernon of Hanover.
  2. Authentication:

    • The authentication was conducted by Dr. Thomas Macoughty Judson, an American and curator of the Cicognara collection of the Vatican.
    • Dr. Judson, after extensive study and tests, concluded that the painting is the original "Mona Lisa" by Leonardo da Vinci.
  3. History of the Painting:

    • The painting has been in the Vernon family since 1797, when it was brought to the United States from France by William Henry Vernon.
    • It was reportedly given to the family by Marie Antoinette shortly before her execution in 1793.
    • The painting is said to be the joint property of Dr. Vernon's great-grandnephew, Dr. William Henry Vernon, and his brother's widow, Mrs. Alice C. E. Vernon of New Jersey and Connecticut.
  4. Timeline and Provenance:

    • Dr. Judson claims the painting was created earlier than the version currently hanging in the Louvre in Paris.
    • Family spokespeople stated that technicians at the Fogg Museum at Harvard University confirmed in 1933 that the painting was definitively from the period when Leonardo was known to have painted "La Gioconda (Mona Lisa)."
    • The painting had been sent to Harvard for clarification.
  5. Contextual Notes:

    • The article references a broader discussion about rain-making experiments over a watershed, though this appears unrelated to the main story about the Mona Lisa.

The clipping is presented as a historical news report, highlighting a sensational claim about the rediscovery of one of the world's most famous artworks. The article includes quotes from experts and details about the painting's provenance and authentication process.

OpenAI, gpt-4

This is an image of an old newspaper clipping from the "Boston News Clip," dated February 22, 1950. The article headline reads "New Da Vinci 'Mona Lisa' Turns Up in New Hampshire". The article discusses a painting found in a Hanover, N.H. home that is believed to be a "Mona Lisa" by Leonardo Da Vinci, according to a Vatican expert. It details the authentication process by Dr. Ambrose W. Vernon and mentions Thomas Macaughtry Judson, an American and curator of the Cicognara collection of the Vatican.

The article contains a narrative about the painting being in the Vernon family since 1797 and supposedly receiving the painting as a gift from Marie Antoinette before she was beheaded in 1793. It describes the painting as being owned jointly by Dr. Vernon and his brother's widow.

The article also says that technicians at the Fogg Museum at Harvard University had reported in 1933 that the canvas was "definitely of the period when Leonardo was known to have painted La Gioconda (Mona Lisa)," adding to the authentication claims. Lastly, it notes that the painting was sent to the Harvard institution for cleaning.

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

The image shows a clipped newspaper article titled "New Da Vinci 'Mona Lisa' Turns Up in New Hampshire." The article is from the Berkshire Eagle, Pittsfield, Mass., and dated February 22, 1950, with a label from Boston News Clip at 120 Tremont Street, Boston 8, Mass.

The article reports that a painting in a Hanover, New Hampshire home is considered by a Vatican expert to be a "Mona Lisa" by Leonardo Da Vinci. A spokesman for Dr. Ambrose W. Vernon of Hanover said the authentication was made by Dr. Thomas Macoughtry Judson, an American and former curator of the Cicognara collection of the Vatican.

Dr. Judson stated after study and tests that the Vernon painting is by Leonardo Da Vinci. The painting has been in the Vernon family since 1797, brought from France by William Henry Vernon. It is said to have been received as a gift from Marie Antoinette shortly before her execution 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. Dr. Judson also said the painting was created earlier than the Mona Lisa in the Louvre. Technicians at the Fogg Museum at Harvard University reported in 1933 that the ancient canvas is "definitely of the period when Leonardo was known to have painted La Gioconda (Mona Lisa)." The painting had been sent to Harvard for clearing.

The article has some underlining and red markings, and the edges are slightly worn.

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

This image is of a newspaper clipping from the Boston News Clip, dated February 22, 1950, and sourced from the Berkshire Eagle in Pittsfield, Mass. The headline reads, "New Da Vinci 'Mona Lisa' Turns Up in New Hampshire." It discusses the discovery of a painting attributed to Leonardo da Vinci, located in a Hanover, N.H. home. The article states that Dr. Ambrose W. Vernon and Dr. Thomas Macoughtry Judson—a curator of the Cicognara collection at the Vatican—authenticated the artwork as an earlier version of da Vinci's famous Mona Lisa.

The painting was reportedly gifted by Marie Antoinette to William Henry Vernon in 1793 and remained in the Vernon family, eventually being sent to Harvard for cleaning. According to the story, the painting had been evaluated by experts and dated to the time period when da Vinci would have painted La Gioconda (Mona Lisa).

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

The image shows a light gray display background with two old newspaper clippings arranged like a collage.

  • At the top right is a small white clipping titled “BOSTON NEWS CLIP,” with an address (120 Tremont Street, Boston) and a date stamp of FEB 22 1950.
  • Below and to the left is a larger, orange-tinted clipping with a bold headline: “New Da Vinci ‘Mona Lisa’ Turns Up in New Hampshire.” The article is laid out in two columns and discusses a supposed Mona Lisa painting found in Hanover, NH, mentioning names like Dr. Ambrose W. Vernon and Dr. Judson, and references to Vatican authentication and Harvard for "clearing." There are some light handwritten markings in red on this clipping.

Overall, it’s a vintage newspaper-montage about a sensational claim regarding the Mona Lisa.