Mona Lisa saved by the Griffith theory: Assessing the crack propagation risk in the wooden support of a panel painting

A 2D finite elements model of the wooden support of Mona Lisa painting was developed to estimate the risk of propagation of the existing crack due to the restraining action of the frame, using observations on the wood structire and panel geometry and measurements of the forces exerted by the crossbars on the panel. A good agreement was obtained with shadow Moire data of the displacement field. According to the simulations, the frame applies a small tearing and a slight opening of the crack lips; the calculated release energy rate is far below the critical values, suggesting practically no propagation risk, even accounting for the effet of hygrothermal fluctuations.