Mona Lisa’s digital twin: identifying the mechanical properties of the panel combining experimental data and advanced finite-element modelling

Since 2004, the “Mona Lisa” painting by Leonardo da Vinci has been studied by an international research group of wood scientists and several experimental campaigns have been carried out to understand its characteristics and provide indications for its conservation. Based on the collected data, a numerical model of the wooden panel has been developed to simulate the mechanical interaction with the framing system. The main objective of this modelling work is to extract as much information as possible from the experimental tests carried out and, thus, reach a sufficient level of scientific knowledge of the mechanical properties of the panel to build a predictive model. It will be used to predict the effect of modified boundary conditions and as a tool of preventive conservation.