11 July, 2011

Leonardo The News Hound

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Salvator Mundi,  Leonardo da Vinci
o/p, 25 13/16" X 17 7/8 "


Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519), Salvator Mundi, c. 1500 Oil on walnut panel, 25 13/16 X 17 7/8 inches (65.6 X 45.4 cm) (C) 2011 Salvator Mundi llc. (PRNewsFoto/Robert Simon, Tim Nighswander)


Although he has been safely dead for 492 years, Leonardo da Vinci continues to make headlines.  Arguably the greatest polymath ever, Leonardo is never uninteresting.


Is it possible that da Vinci painted an image titled Salvator Mundi, and that this has only now come to light?  News reports say that experts have re-attributed this painting to the master, whereas before it was said to have been created by one of da Vinci's students.  Incredibly, this would be only the fifteenth known painting by da Vinci that exists.  Unless, of course, somebody un-crates another one somewhere. 


Dan Brown!  Paging Mr. Dan Brown!


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h/t Vanderleun



8 comments:

Linda Roth said...

Poor, no name, Leonardo's student. His talent dismissed after centuries by today's experts. I'd love to know his story and I'm sure he'd love me to know his name. I also doubt Leonardo had just one talented kid in his tutelage.

Casey Klahn said...

Yes, Linda, it sucks to be that guy, now. His legacy will be "out" several tens of millions of dollars, if not a hundred million. Sign your work.

On the lighter side, remember it was Giotto that outdid his master, Cimabue, and so teaches us that many times the successor is blessed. But, maybe one lesson is don't sit under too good a coach.

Celeste Bergin said...

well, it certainly looks like a da Vinci!

Mindful Drawing said...

If all unknown apprentices had signed their work, researchers wouldn't be able to make headlines. You, Casey, wouldn't blog about Da Vinci's 'Salvatore Mundi' and I wouldn't read about it. It is all so delightful:-)
There is a lot to say for a bit of mystery.
Paula

Casey Klahn said...

Celeste - I didn't think it was authentic, at first. So strange and unusual.

But, then that led me to realize how original LdV was being. He did this, if they are correct about it's origin, unlike almost anyone before him. Or, perhaps better than anyone, ever.

Keep in mind the heavy restoration, and the black - almost black background can be explained. The wall eye is a classic device that goes back to the Imago Dei images.

When I Googled "Salvatore Mundi," the absolute banality of this type of depiction of the wonderful Savior was dramatic. Holy paintbrush, there are a lot of crappy pictures of this type! You should Google it for yourself. The other really fun thing is to page down and pick out which ones are by artists you know - these turn out to be the good ones.

Casey Klahn said...

You love history the same as I do, Paula.

SippicanCottage said...

Looks like Lenny done it to me.

Casey Klahn said...

Greg votes for authentic. I came around to it slowly.

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