Fake Mona Lisa to be displayed in Australia

She has the same gaze and mysterious smile, but this Mona Lisa was not painted by a master hand.

It was completed in the early 1900's by Port Adelaide artist Mortimer Menpes for practical reasons - so Australians didn't have to travel to Paris to see the original.

The impressive replica is one of 38 works by Menpes painted to look just like the original European masterpieces he fell in love with while travelling. Even the wear and tear of the paint is depicted in the images. Menpes donated the series to the Commonwealth Parliamentary Library who exhibited them as national treasures.

Now the Mona Lisa will see the light once more. It's being prepared to go on display in December at the Treasures Gallery at the National Library of Australia in Canberra.

Federal Arts Minister Simon Crean unveiled the work and praised Menpes for his gift to the society.

"He took the view that 'these are great works of art but Australians can't see them so I'm gonna do the next best thing, I'm going to copy them and bring them to Australia."

Today Mortimer Menpes' collection is valued at close to US$1 million (RM 3.06 million).