Where’s Your Leonardo?

A work by the Italian Renaissance artist Leonardo da Vinci, that is. As you may have heard, one of his paintings, entitled “Salvator Mundi” (Latin for “Savior of the World”) just sold at auction in the Big Apple for the astounding sum of U.S. $450 million – not exactly chump change.

A Discovery

No doubt, Leonardo (1452-1519) was a master of the arts, having painted the “Mona Lisa” (an oil painting on a poplar wood panel), on display at the Louvre Museum in Paris since 1797, and “The Last Supper” fresco at the Convent of Sta. Maria delle Grazie, Milan, among other works. Unfortunately, very few appear to have survived the ravages of time, until now. What I found most intriguing in the media reports was the claim that this painting “was recently discovered” as an original work by the artist, as reported by the New York Post (NYP). As the NYP also states, only twelve years ago, in 2005, the very same work was sold for a mere $10,000. At that time and still now, some connoisseurs opined it not to be painted by Leonardo. It was not until restoration had been completed that “Scholars began to discuss whether it was an authentic Leonardo. Some still doubt the work’s authenticity, claiming it is too boring to be a Leonardo masterpiece” (NYP). What’s in Your Attic? Clearly, there are hidden treasures that only need to be (re)-discovered. Perhaps, it’s time to check the stuff collecting dust in your attic?

Dr. Klaus L.E. Kaiser——Bio and Archives

Dr. Klaus L.E. Kaiser is author of CONVENIENT MYTHS, the green revolution – perceptions, politics, and facts Convenient Myths