Investigators believe painting is by da Vinci
Pictured: Reproduction of a self-portrait of Leonardo da Vinci. Image from Flikr.
Until now, “Profile of the Bella Principessa” was considered just another 18th century German painting. However, thanks to the work of a team of investigators, many people now believe “Profile of the Bella Principessa” was created by none other than Leonardo da Vinci.
The owner of the painting, who wishes to remain anonymous, bought “Profile of the Bella Principessa” for about $19,000 through an art dealer in 2007. However, if this painting is, in fact, by the same artist who created the “Mona Lisa,” “The Last Supper” and “Truvian Man,” it is valued at $150 million.
Evidence supports da Vinci theory
So, what are the chances the owner of “Profile of the Bella Principessa” will never need debt relief or any type of income again? Not bad at all. A forensic art expert from the Lumiere Technology laboratory in Paris believes a fingerprint on “Profile of the Bella Principessa” matches a fingerprint on another da Vinci painting, the portrait of St. Jerome in the Vatican.
Investigators first started analyzing the painting simply because they noticed stylistic elements similar to other da Vinci paintings. It has been compared to the “Mona Lisa,” and the artist was left handed, as was da Vinci. The canvas used for “Profile of the Bella Principessa” has been carbon dated to between 1440 and 1650.
Rate of return
If the anonymous Swiss owner of “Profile of the Bella Prinicipessa” does sell the piece for $150 million, that would be nearly 10,000 times what the owner paid for it. ABC News reports that some suspect Peter Silverman, the art collector and dealer who purchased the painting from the Ganz gallery in New York, is actually the owner.
However, Silverman says he bought the painting on behalf of a wealthy Swiss art collector. Silverman is from Canada and says he thought “Profile of the Bella Principessa” was stylistically similar to da Vinci’s work the moment he laid eyes on it. Check out video of interviews with the investigators and photos of “Profile of the Bella Principessa” on Good Morning America.
Well, whether or not “science” has so far contributed anything other than bold claims, we – frankly – do not know. What is known is that lots of publicity has been achieved which helps push the paintaing’s market “value”.
I’ve been studying Italian Renaissance art for more than twenty years at a scholarly level and, in my humble opinion, there are, from an stylistic point of view (“formal”, as art historians would call it), there are good reasons to uphold the assumption of this being a 19th century work for the time being. A critical appraisal and discussion among art hostorians outside the limelight of publicity is certainly inevitable before a general consensus could be reached.
It is amazing how science can contribute to the authenticity of this painting. Comparing this to the other paintings of Da Vinci, there are indeed some similarities. I pity the person who sold it. But maybe the Swiss collector can give him a a gift or something.