ITALY: ART - Painting that experts believe may have been painted by Leonardo da Vinci is about to go on public view for the first time in more than half a century

Record ID: 784668

  • Title: ITALY: ART - Painting that experts believe may have been painted by Leonardo da Vinci is about to go on public view for the first time in more than half a century
  • Date: 15th October 2005
  • Summary: VARIOUS DETAILS OF MARY MAGDALENE PAINTING
  • Embargoed: 30th October 2005 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Italy
  • Country: Italy
  • Reuters ID: LVA6B1LIDMF2XVIDCLP976XOZ8OC
  • Story Text: Is it or isn't it? That is the question many will be asking as a stunningly beautiful painting called Mary Magdalene goes on view to the public at an art exhibition in the Italian town of Ancona. World-class art historian Carlo Pedretti believes the painting may have been carried out by Leonardo da Vinci and not by his pupil Giampietrino to which it has so far been attributed. The painting, measuring 58 cm by 45 cm, was believed to have been painted in 1515, four years before the master died and has been in private collections for nearly all its recorded history in the past 100 years or so. Pedretti believes the work has the character of a Giampietrino painting but is far beyond his qualities. "The painting is in perfect condition - our first examination was carried out in terms of x-ray but x-rays are really superficial and what was ascertained was that there was some transformation", Pedretti told Reuters at the exhibition explaining that the painting had been changed in some way. Pedretti wants the painting to undergo an infrared reflectogram, a technique for viewing the underdrawings and various paint stages of a painting using cameras equipped with infrared-sensitive detectors. Pedretti said if traces of sketches were found it would be extremely important because Leonardo sketches are very easy to identify. "There is no painting by Leonardo or by the Leonardo school of which the authenticity can be ascertained by just laboratory examinations" Pedretti explained. Leonardo is known to have collaborated with students to complete some of his works. For example, one copy of the Virgin of the Rocks is believed to have been painted jointly by Leonardo and Ambrogio De Predis. If the Magadalene painting turns out to be of Leonardo's hand, even if only partially, it would be only one of a few by the master of a nude woman. Another is Leda and the Swan.
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