ART

A computer close-up revealed that Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa at one time wore a necklace of black beads, according to a UC San Diego researcher who was to present his findings Monday at the annual meeting of the American Assn. for the Advancement of Science in Chicago. Physicist John Asmus said he found the outlines of eight beads draped around the neck of the lady portrayed in one of the most famous paintings in the world. “I can’t say for sure if these are necklace beads,” said Asmus. “Some people suggest they may be an artifact of some damage. They might even be coffee stains. All I’m saying is they are worthy of further investigation.” Asmus made his discovery by scanning photographs of the painting with techniques used in the analysis of satellite photographs.