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Decoding da Vinci | Full Documentary | NOVA | PBS

NOVA PBS Official | September 10, 2025



Discover the science behind Leonardo da Vinci’s masterpieces—and Mona Lisa’s iconic smile. (Aired November 13, 2019)

Official Website: https://to.pbs.org/3ZJHjmY | #NOVAPBS
Leonardo da Vinci was a Renaissance genius. Not only did he paint masterpieces of art, but he was an obsessive scientist and inventor, dreaming up complex machines centuries ahead of his time, including parachutes, armored tanks, hang gliders, and robots. On the 500th anniversary of Leonardo’s death, with the help of biographer Walter Isaacson, NOVA investigates the secrets of Leonardo’s success. How did his scientific curiosity, from dissections of cadavers to studies of optics, shape his genius and help him create perhaps the most famous painting of all time, the “Mona Lisa”?

Chapters
00:00 Introduction
04:47 How Did da Vinci Make a Perfect Painting?
09:07 The Original Mona Lisa
14:29 The Early Life of Leonardo da Vinci: Engineer, Scientist, Artist
23:41 The Science of Painting: Restoring a da Vinci Masterpiece
29:17 Modern Day Painters Using da Vinci’s Process
32:24 Leonardo da Vinci’s Anatomical Accuracy
39:36 Mona Lisa’s Smile: Do Our Eyes Trick Us?
44:21 Shocking Result of the Restoration of Bacchus
46:13 Digital Restoration of the Mona Lisa
50:28 Conclusion

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#davinci #leonardodavinci #monalisa #renaissance #anatomy #painting #bacchus #finearts

Written by NOVA PBS Official

Comments

This post currently has 21 comments.

  1. @jollyjoker888

    September 10, 2025 at 2:33 pm

    The people that were shown in this FARCE -!! Were ONLY Interested in Fulfilling their Own Preconceived Theories ! Turning the Sky Blue is Totally WRONG !! Quit trying to make yourselves feel smarter ! Very Trumpish !!

  2. @sousosisi316

    September 10, 2025 at 2:33 pm

    Let's combine to the roaling carte machine we run a bloc thunder bacause I am trolly check withunt Miguel compi to ordinary step back weit time and smoment of cailadure then thates artisanal camp with my championship or single players into the Mechanic store und under game so.ort

  3. @jodygarver366

    September 10, 2025 at 2:33 pm

    Hello, Oklahomans, Bless Their Hearts, have the biggest “opportunity for Growth” in universe! This is the Keep Oklahoma
    Stupid Campaign. Most Oklahoma folks are great!

  4. @DavidWoodhouse-e5d

    September 10, 2025 at 2:33 pm

    Elon love this 5D the fifth dimension please jesus help in the name of our lord I'm empowed with El5th dimensions😊 don't be afraid of the toaster they are toast mate ❤love you man ❤I want nothing if I can just say I'd live 5 or

  5. @mariep4018

    September 10, 2025 at 2:33 pm

    My brother named Peter had Leonardo’s exact nose. I have family born in Florence.I am a self taught artist and creative in many other ways. Maybe we have ancestors related to his father.Who knows that is the question.He was a genius.I never really knew the depth of his genius until now. Whether we’re related or not I’m still 100% Italian and I’ve been told that we have had royalty in our bloodline. I’ve just never researched it and I wish I would have.

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