SINGAPORE — After capturing the art world’s attention two years ago, a highly-anticipated painting will have its first-ever public viewing in Singapore.

It is the Earlier Mona Lisa painting, a portrait of a younger Lisa del Giocondo, which has generally been accepted as the precursor of the world-acclaimed Mona Lisa masterpiece in the Louvre Museum, following findings published by The Mona Lisa Foundation last year.

New findings will also be presented to the public for the first time at the Leonardo da Vinci’s ‘Earlier Mona Lisa’ exhibition in Singapore, said the foundation, a Swiss non-profit organisation.

Leonardo da Vinci is believed to have started on the Earlier Mona Lisa painting in 1503, before beginning on the Louvre version in 1513. In 1778, the Earlier Mona Lisa painting was said to have been acquired by an English nobleman and brought to England; and in 1913, it was rediscovered by the curator of the Holburne Art Museum in Bath, England Hugh Blaker. The painting then changed hands several times before it was passed to an international consortium in 2008.

The Mona Lisa Foundation was later established in 2010 to conduct the necessary research into determining if the Earlier Mona Lisa was indeed painted by Leonardo da Vinci. In 2012, the foundation published its findings — from 35 years of back research and tests — in its book Mona Lisa – Leonardo’s Earlier Version.

“The foundation is extremely excited to bring the Leonardo da Vinci’s ‘Earlier Mona Lisa’ exhibition to the world, and, more so, to hold its global premiere in Singapore which is one of the world’s most cosmopolitan cities — fast becoming the newest art capital of Asia,” said Mr Joel Feldman, its General Secretary and spokesman.

“Singapore’s well-developed infrastructure for the arts, Singaporeans’ growing interest in visual culture, as well as its burgeoning tourist numbers, make the island-state a strategic gateway for the exhibition to start its worldwide tour.”

The exhibit, designed and built in Singapore, promises an interactive and multi-media experience for visitors. Visitors will enter the world of the Italian Renaissance, and navigate through nine interactive exhibition galleries before coming face to face with the historic painting.

The exhibition will be held in Singapore at The Arts House at the Old Parliament from Dec 16 to Feb 11, 2015. Tickets will be available at www.sistic.com.sg and all SISTIC counters. Exclusive ticket pre-bookings are reserved for America Express Card Members (Singapore only) until Nov 16 before ticket sales are open to the general public the next day.

The exhibition will travel to the University of Hong Kong’s University Museum and Art Gallery next in March 2015.