Mystery of a Masterpiece

[likethebeer]

A cool NOVA show on a possible newly discovered Leonardo Da Vinci. The detective work is impressive, and, if it's right, might reveal a piece that's possibly worth $100 million.

Comments

[sirreal13.livejournal.com]

I watched that Tuesday... It was f@cking incredible. A lot of it was dumb luck, like getting an e-mail form a guy in Florida to clue them in the look for the manuscript in Warsaw of all places. My theory is that Bianca Sforza's portrait was yanked out of the book and mounted for display during her funeral.

That's a good theory

[likethebeer.livejournal.com]

The verbiage with the link on the Facebook NOVA page said that the producer will answer selected questions the week of Jan. 30.

[seattleforge.livejournal.com]

Cool! Thanks.

You're welcome

[likethebeer.livejournal.com]

I was thinking about this mystery again. I can't imagine the absolute giddiness I would feel knowing that the piece came from that very book. Whether or not it's actually a Leonardo Da Vinci, I don't think at this point that it can be 100% proven.

But I love it when art historians kick butt.

Re: You're welcome

[sirreal13.livejournal.com]

It's apparent that it's NOT a forgery, so I would pay a million dollars for it, even if it were painted by Ambrosio the Peddler (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ambrogio_de_Predis).

Re: You're welcome

[likethebeer.livejournal.com]

I think someone should. That's very interesting. It's interesting, also, that this was not mentioned at all in NOVA - I wish they had, because it would be interesting to know why they didn't think this was "Ambrosio the Peddler" (well, aside from the $100 million pricetag).

Re: You're welcome

[sirreal13.livejournal.com]

(I made up "Ambrosio the Peddler," but left it in after I looked up Ambrogio di Predis becasue I liked the sound of it).

I'm convinced by the evidence that it was done by a left-handed master. Left-handedness was beaten out of people throughout history, especially in the days leading up to the Renaissance, so it is possible there was a closeted left-handed master during the period, but we know of very few who worked for the Sforzas.

"During the Medieval period right up through the Renaissance the left hand was linked to Satan and those who used their left hand were thought to be possessed by devils, in league with Satan. One of the qualifications to be questioned, or tortured, in the infamous Spanish Inquisition was to be left-handed and often meant death. Left-handers were killed, tortured, exiled, and harassed throughout Europe more than any persecuted cultural minority for the simple fact that all religious or ethnic minorities always had a left-handed minority within itself. The persecuted among the persecuted."

http://www.csun.edu/~djo41504/left.html