Art expert: 'Earlier Mona Lisa' is not by Da Vinci

It could be a storm in a paint pot.

An art expert says that the painting "Earlier Mona Lisa" - currently on display in Singapore at the Arts House - was not painted by Leonardo Da Vinci.

The Mona Lisa Foundation, the Swiss based group that manages the painting, says it was.
According to the foundation, the famed renaissance artist painted the earlier version 10 years before creating the world-famous Mona Lisa, currently hanging in the Louvre, Paris

In an interview with the BBC however, Mona Lisa expert, Professor Martin Kemp, has expressed his doubts about the claim.

In the interview, he said that the painting is just a copy. 

The emeritus professor of history of art at the Oxford University said that the "Earlier Mona Lisa" does not display the same flair and technique that the "Mona Lisa" has.

"The fact it's being shown in Singapore and is not getting an outing in a serious art museum [or] gallery is significant in itself."

For it's part, the foundation has pointed to new evidence which supports the claim that  "Earlier Mona Lisa" was painted by Da Vinci.

The press release announcing the exhibition at the Arts House quotes emeritus professor John Asmus from University of California:

"I would say that it is 99% certain that the two Mona Lisas were done by the same artist.”

The painting is on display at the Arts House till Feb 11. 

Source: BBC, Mona Lisa Foundation