The Manchester Mona Lisa

A photograph showing a gothic witch has been selected by voters as the winner of an online photo competition by the Museum of Science & Industry, Manchester, to find the Manchester Mona Lisa. Carol Hodge from Chorlton attracted voters with a photo by Vicky Johnson-Brown, of her posed in a witchy top hat, white face and kohl-rimmed eyes against a firey background.

Carol was one of 20 shortlisted entries for the photo competition, which was run by MOSI as part of the current Da Vinci – The Genius exhibition, and aimed to attract anyone who has the qualities (not necessarily the features) of Leonardo da Vinci’s classic painting. Entrants could be women, men or even pets! The candidate simply had to have to have an air of mystery, calm and an enigmatic smile.

I don't know if I'd call it a gothic witch but I believe it's what she calls herself.

I like it! She does seem to have achieved the what-the-hell-is-she-smiling-about smile. I think, though, another unique and haunting aspect of the true Mona Lisa is the gaze that always seems to land on you, regardless of where you are in the room. This photo may have nailed that too, but I wouldn't be able to tell w/o being in front of it.

If I posted a similar thought in the past, I apologize for repeating myself... I just got a strange feeling of deja vu.

It is quite a lovely photo and I do think she captures that mysterious smile, but not so much the complete mystery of the mona lisa...but I dont think anyone could ever top that.

Mona Lisa also seemed intensely out of place with the very foreign background which Da Vinci created, and she is far thinner in scale compared to the photograph who dominates not only the foreground but the entire horizon of the picture itself.

Looks like she just espied a lonely piece of cake, and she has to stealthily snatch it away.

oooo I like it. I like the expression on her face too.

I think the original mona lisa is a little awkward looking