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The Da Vinci Detective: Art Historian Martin Kemp on Rediscovering Leonardo's Tragic Portrait of a

The Da Vinci Detective: Art Historian Martin Kemp on Rediscovering Leonardo's Tragic Portrait of a Renaissance Princess
byAndrewM.Goldstein
Published:October17,2011

It'snoteverydaythatsomeonerediscoversamajor workbyLeonardodaVinci.Inhislifetime,this archetypalRenaissancemandidnotexecutemore than20finishedartworksthevastmajorityof whatwehavetodayarepreparatorysketchesfor reamsofunfinishedprojectsandnomorethana fewareknowntobelost.Thatiswhyitissomething ofamiraclethatMartinKemp,theOxford professoremeritusofarthistoryandrenowned

CourtesyofScienceTelevisionWorkshop

Leonardoscholar,hasbeeninvolvedinbringingtwo ofwhatseemtobetheartist'slostmasterworksback intothepubliceye.

ArthistorianMartinKempwith"LaBellaPrincipessa"

Oneofthese,the"SalvatorMundi,"hasbeenembracedasauthenticbyKempalongwitha formidableteamofLeonardoexperts,andwillbeincludedinthelandmark"Leonardo:Painteratthe CourtofMilan"exhibitionopeningatLondon'sNationalGallerynextmonth.Theother,knownas "LaBellaPrincipessa,"hasbeenamorecontentiousmatter.SoldatChristie'sin1998foramere $21,850theauctionhouse'sexpertsjudgeditaGermanpasticheintheItalianstyleitwas purchasedin2007bytheartcollectorPeterSilverman,andhassincebeenthesubjectofa concerted,ifsometimesmessy,campaigntoproveittobearealLeonardo.Manyscholarsturned theirbacks. WhenKempbecameinvolved,however,theportraitincoloredchalk,pen,andinkonapageof vellum,orcalfskingainednewtraction.Lastyearhecoauthoredabook,"LaBellaPrincipessa," withFrenchscientistPascalCotte,presentingevidencetosupporttheLeonardoattribution.Now, thearthistorianhascomeforwardtorevealastunningnewpuzzlepiece:hewasabletolocatethe book,madeforthecourtofMilan,fromwhichthepagewastaken.Tolearnthestorybehindthis remarkableturnofevents,ARTINFOspoketothescholarwho,somethingofaRenaissanceman himself,hasawiderangingbookoniconographycomingoutthisfall,called"ChristtoCoke" abouttheportrait,thetragiclifeofitssubject,andwhytheworkcouldonlyhavebeenmadeby
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The Da Vinci Detective: Art Historian Martin Kemp on Rediscovering Leonardo's Tragic Portrait of a

Leonardo. Tellme,howdidyoufirstcometoseetheportrait? Initiallyitwassenttomeasadigitalfile.Normally,intheolddays,Iwouldbesentphotographsof prospectiveLeonardosaboutonceeverysixmonths.Nowit'sdowntooneortwoaweek,indigital files.Ofcoursethat'showtheycomethroughnow,becauseit'seasytofindmyemailaddress.This onecamethroughalmostthreeyearsagonow.PeterSilvermanwrotetomeandsaid,"MywifeandI havesomethingthatyoumightbeinterestedin."Yougenerallylookatthesethingsandyouthink,oh mygod,herewegoagain,andyoureplypolitely.ButthistimeIthought,thisisnotroutine.Of course,withadigitalfile,youdon'tjumpatanything.Italmostlookedtoogoodtobetrue.Silverman hadalreadyshownittoanumberofpeople,includingNicholasTurner,whowaskeeperofthe drawingsattheGettyandpreviouslytheBritishMuseum.Nicholassaid,"Oh,Ithinkthisisby Leonardo,butyoushouldaskMartin,becausehe'sactuallyaLeonardospecialist."AndIthought,this isworthfollowingupandgoingtoZrich,whereitwaskept,totakealookatit. Whatwasitinthatdigitalfilethatgrabbedyourattention? Thesubtletyofthedrawing.Thecharacterizationofthisyoungwoman.Leonardohasaparticular wayofdrawingprofileswhichhavealivingsensethey'renotjustdescriptiveprofilesbuthavea kindoflifeoftheirown.Also,thewaytheshadingisclearlylefthanded,abuttedagainsttheprofile. ItlookedverylikeotherdrawingsofLeonardo'sinparticular,oddlyenough,theskullstudiesfrom 1489withthatparticularhandlingofedge.Thatitselfisn'tenough,though,andwhenshowed somethingyoualwayssay,well,I'llkeeptryingtodisbelieveit.Becauseonceyoubelievesomething, youthenseewhatyouwanttosee.Soallthetimeyou'rekindofpullingawayatit. Well,Inevertakeanymoney,noteventravelexpenses,soI'mnotbeholdentotheowner.Butabout sixmonthslaterIwasgoingZrichtofilmatelevisionprogram,soIstoppedoffatthisspecial storagefacility,andIsawthepieceintheflesh,spentalotoftimelookingatit,usingmagnification, etcetera.PascalCotteofLumiereTechnologyinParis,who'sveryremarkableandhasprobablythe world'sbestsystemofmultispectralscanningveryhighresolutionimagescanninghadalready donequitealotofworkonit,sosomeofthesciencewasalreadythere,includinginfraredand ultraviolet.Soitbeganatahighlevelrightfromtheverybeginning.Also,they'dalreadyshownittoa numberofpeople,includingNicholasTurner. Whenyousawtheportraitintheflesh,whataboutitbegantoconvinceyouthatit may,infact,beaLeonardo? Therearevariousthings.Thefirst,andinasensethelast,isithastohavethatfrissonthatyoufindin allofLeonardo'sdrawings,especiallytheWindsordrawings.Connoisseurshipstillplaysarole.It's muchdenigratedandcriticized,butultimately,withoutconnoisseurship,wereallywouldn'tknow Leonardo'sworkatall.It'sstillafundamentaltoolinestablishingwhatwasdonebyhimandwhenit wasdone,sincenoneofitissigned,noneofitisdated,and,apartfrom"TheLastSupper,"nothing
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The Da Vinci Detective: Art Historian Martin Kemp on Rediscovering Leonardo's Tragic Portrait of a

hasacontinuousprovenance.Soyoustillhavealotofthatratheroldfashionedjudgmentbyeyeto do. So,intheflesh,youlookatit.It'sonvellum,andyoucanseetheextenttowhichthesurfaceis deteriorated,whichyoucan'tsee,really,inadigitalfile,whichsmoothsoutthesurface.Youcan begintoseewhereit'sbeenrestoredasyoulookatitindifferentlightandfromdifferentangles, thephysicalityofitbecomesapparent.Butthat'sonlyyourstartingpoint.Then,alltheheavyduty researchcomesin,andwenowhave,ofcourse,anenormousbodyofextrathingswecanlookat.So theinitialconnoisseur'sreactionmerelytellsyouthatsomethingisworthlookingat,butatanypoint onewrongthingcanthrowthatallawayalaterpigment,abitofsomethingthatmightcomeup aboutitshistorytoindicateitwasforgedatsomepoint,andsoon.Iwastrainedasascientist,andif youhaveascientifictheory,youonlyneedhaveonebitoftheexperimentthatsays,"thisisnotright," andthewholethingcollapses.Youalwayshavetobelookingforthatonethingthatisgoingto demolishthewholeexpectationthat'sbeingsetup. Intermsofconnoisseurship,you'vehandledanextraordinaryrangeofLeonardo's workpersonally,includingeventhe"MonaLisa." Yes,thoughI'venothandledthe"MonaLisa"inthesensethatI'velaidmyhandsonher.I'vebeen presenttwicewhenit'sbeenoutoftheframe.It'scarriedbyprofessionalhandlers,youknowthe curatorsdon'tpickthesethingsup.Buttheytookitovertothewindow,andwehadalookatitin differentlights,andsoon.Thatisanuncannyexperience.AnumberofLeonardoexpertswerethere thesecondtime,buttoseeittwiceisjustextraordinary.It'saveryanxiousthing,youknow,because thatworkissofamous.Youthink,isthisgoingtobealetdown?Anditabsolutelywasn't.Ithasan extraordinarypresence. IsthissomethingtheLouvredoesinordertogiveLeonardoscholarsaframeof reference? Thesecondoccasionwaslinkedtotheirquestionastowhethertheyshouldrestorethe"Virgin,Child, andSt.Anne"intheLouvre.Soinparttodiffusecontroversybutalsotoseekopinionstheyinviteda groupofscholarsintolookatalloftheirLeonardosoutoftheframeintheSalonCarr,tohavea seminar,andtalkaboutrestoration.Andtheyare,indeed,restoringthe"Virgin,Child,andSt.Anne," whichisinworseconditionthanthe"MonaLisa."Thatwasthesecondoccasion.Forthefirst,each yearit'stakenonceoutofitsarmoredplatingtorunaconservationcheckonit,andIwasinvited alongbyPierreRosenberg,theformerLouvredirector,whosaid,"Doyouwanttoseeitwhenit comesout?" Withthe"BellaPrincipessa,"thereareseveralthingsthatareunusualaboutthe portrait.Forone,it'sonvellum,andLeonardoisnotknowntohaveanyextantworks onthatmaterial.Howdoyouexplainthat? Leonardo,asI'vepointedoutinthebook,discussedvellumhediscusseddrawingindrypigments
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The Da Vinci Detective: Art Historian Martin Kemp on Rediscovering Leonardo's Tragic Portrait of a

onvellum,sohedoestalkaboutit.Heknewvellumperfectlywell.Healsousedoiledvellumfor tracing,soheknewthematerials.There'snoproblemthere. Also,theportraitisdoneinprofile,unlikeLeonardo'smorefamousportraits.Are thereotherexamplesofportraitshedidinthiscameostyle? Yes.Theprofileportraitwasobligatoryatthattimefortopmembersoftheinnercourtcircle,andthe mostspectacularexampleistheportraitofIsabellad'Este,whichLeonardodidwhenhewasin Mantuain1500afterthecollapseoftheMilaneseregime.ThatdrawingsurvivesintheLouvre,anda versionofitwasmadethatisnowintheAshmolean.Thisis1500,sohe'dalreadydonetheCecilia Galleraniand"LaBelleFerronire,"whichisofacertainLucreziaCrivelli.Theywerenotinprofile, buttheyweretheking'smistresses.Forformalcourtportraitsitwasnotgoodmannerstoabandon theprofile.Thatwasthestockform.WithIsabellad'Esteheturnsherslightly,likethe"MonaLisa," soitbecomesquitestrange,butclearlyIsabellaatthatstageinhercareerknewthattheprofile waswhatyoudidfortheinnermemberofthecourtcircle,soitwasobligatory. Whywasthattheconvention? Itwasamatterofformality.It'smorehieratic.ItrelatestoRomancoins,ofcourse,whichalsohelps. Westilldoitoncoins,don'twe?Andwestilldoitonpostagestamps.Soit'sthatkindofconvention. Theofficialportraitisaprofile. Whenyoureleasedyourbook"LaBellaPrincipessa,"inMarchof2010,toclaimthe portraitasatrueLeonardo,therewasacertainamountofdebate,withmanyexperts dismissingtheattributionoutofhand.Then,youfoundthebookfromwhich,itseems, theportraitcamefromprovidingtremendousweighttoyourclaim.Howonearth didyoutrackdownthatbook? Tosaythattherewasacertainamountofdebateisanunderstatement.Alotofpeoplewhohadn't seenithaveaninvestmentinitnotbeingaLeonardo,particularlythepeopleinNewYorkwhohad allmissedit.However,weknewitcamefromabook.It'sonvellum.Therearethreestitchmarksthat arevisibledownthelefthandside,andacutmarkwheretheknifeslippedwhenitwasbeingcutout ofthebook.Ithought,well,thechanceoffindingthatbookisprettysmall.Wheredoyoustart?You startbygoingthroughlibrarycataloguesofmanuscriptsconnectedwiththeMilaneseregimeinthe 1490s.It'saneedleinahaystack,andIhadn'teventriedsuchanendeavor,becauseIliterallydidn't knowwheretostart. ThenprofessorD.R.EdwardWright,anAmericanscholar[attheUniversityofSouthernFlorida] whohadreadthebookandwasslightlyupsetbysomeofitsreception,said,"Haveyouthoughtof oneofthe'Sforziad's?"ThesewerecopiesofaeulogisticbookwrittenbyacourtfunctionaryinMilan calledGiovanniSimonetta,ahumanist,inpraiseofFrancescoSforza,whowasthefatherof Ludovico,thedukeofMilan.SinceFrancescowasthefounderofthedynasty,thisbookeulogizedthe SforzasandprovidedthefoundationfortheirclaimtoruleMilan.Davidclaimedthattherewere
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threesurvivingversionsonvellummadeforspecificSforzaeventsforbirthsormarriagesyoumight customizeabookwithalltheheraldryandallegoriesrelatingtotheevent.Oneoftheseversionshad clearlybeendismembered.Sohesaid,"Well,whatabouttheoneinWarsaw?",whichhadalready beenconnectedtoBianca[theduke'sdaughter]andherweddingtoGaleazzoSanseverino,the commanderoftheduke'sforces. Andtherewassomethingthatalreadysuggestedthewomanintheportraitwas Bianca,isthatright? Shehastheauthorizedcourthairstyle,soshewaspartoftheSforzacourtmaidens.Ilookedthrough theSforzacourtwomenandendedupwithprobablyfourorfivepossibilities,andBiancawasthe rightageattherighttime.Soitwasquitehypothetical.ButGaleazzoSanseverinowasaLeonardo patron.Leonardodrewhorsesinhisstables. Theclothes,too,placedherin1490sMilan? Itallplacedher.Theclothesareverysimple,and,infact,asDavidWrighthasshown,youngbrides worerathersimpleclothesaftermarriage.Itwasonlywhentheybecameolderandtheyproduced childrenthattheyworesomeofthemoreluxuriousgarmentsagain.Sotherelativesimplicityofthe costumeactuallyhelpstellusthatit'sanimmediatepostmarriageportrait.Itisalsoboundupwith theromanticstorywhereshediedtragicallyfourmonthsaftermarriage. Howdidshedie? Itwaswhattheycalleda"passionedistomaco,"whichisliterallya"passionofthestomach,"butI suspectitwas.Shewasmarriedwhenshewas13.Thesegirlsmarriedat13,14.Theydiedveryearly alltheSforzaprincesses,theinnerones,theyalldiedearly.Theybasicallyhadbabiesbeforethey shouldhave,particularlygivenchildbearingcircumstancesatthetimeandmedicineatthetime,soI suspectshehadanectopicpregnancyorsomesimilarkindofproblem.Onecanonlyspeculate. SoyougotoPolandandfindthebook,whichismissingapage. AtthatpointNationalGeographicwasfilmingaprogramonmyresearchbecausetheywere interestedintheprocess,thescience,andIsaidtothem,"Look,I'mgoingoff.Iwanttogooffto Warsawtolookatthis."WegotagrantfromtheexpeditionscommitteeofNationalGeographic,so wewentofftherewithPascalCotte.Hebroughtallhistechnicalequipment,photographic equipment,spectralequipment,andwehadthetelevisioncrewintow,soitwasalittlebitofacircus. Butwedidaverycloseanalysisoftheearlypagesofthebook,whicharetheoneswhicharetailor madeandhaveallthespecialmaterialinthem.WealsotooktoWarsawanexactfacsimileofthe portraitthatPascalmade,dimensionallyaccuratetoafractionofamillimeter,sothatwecouldnot onlymatchthepagesizebutmoreimportantlywecouldlookatthestitchmarks.Threeofthestitch marks,theonesthatwecanstillseeontheedgeofthe"BellaPrincipessa,"matchaswellasthey conceivablycouldandthey'reirregularstitchmarks.Pascalalsodidspectraltestsonthevellum,
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The Da Vinci Detective: Art Historian Martin Kemp on Rediscovering Leonardo's Tragic Portrait of a

detectingthespectralcompositionofthelightcomingoffthevelluminplaces,whichthenmatched thatofthevellumofthe"BellaPrincipessa." Whydoyouthinktheportraitwasoriginallycutoutofthebook? Therewasagreatfashionforcuttingilluminationsoutofmanuscriptsatonepoint.Peoplewerevery cavalieraboutthingsofthatsort.Iftheysawsomethingtheyliked,orifthebookwasbeingrebound, thentheythought,"Oh,well,we'rerebindingit,let'scutthisoutandtakeit."Infact,dealersstilldoit today. Whathappenedtoitafteritwastakenout?Isthereanyprovenancehistory? Notmuch.We'vegotareasonableideaofwhathappenedtothebook.Therewereverystrong relationshipsbetweentheSforzasandthePolishroyalfamily.Therewaslotsofintermarriage,so there'snoparticularproblemforimagininghowitgottoWarsaw,which,farfrombeinganobscure place,wasamajorRenaissancecity.Whathappenedtotheportraitwhenitwascutoutif,say,it wascutoutinthe18thcenturywedon'tknow.We'restillworkingontherebindingofthebooks.It wentintothegreatesthumanistlibraryinPoland,theZamoyskilibrary,whichhadalotoftheroyal booksinitscollection.IhaveayoungPolishscholarlookingattherebindingofthebooksinthe librariestoseewhathecanteaseout. ButitcametoChristie'satsomepoint,andthenitwaspurchasedbythecurrent owner.HowdiditgettoChristie's? ThepersonwhobroughtittoChristie's,whoisstillengagedinalegalactionagainstthem,isJeanne Marchig.SheisthewifeofaveryaccomplishedSwissconservatorandrestorercalledGiannino Marchigwhoworkedformajormuseums,majorgalleries,majordealers,andsoon.Hewasworking inItaly,andhecollectedparticularlywhenhewasinFlorencesomeverynicethings.OldMaster drawings,smallerworksofart.AndJeanneMarchig,who'snowanelderlylady,hadbeen systematicallysellingthesethingsviaChristie'sNewYorkinaidofheranimalcharities.She'squitea significantbenefactor.Thiswasthelastsignificantworkshehadleft. IsthereanyideawhereMarchigboughtit,oristhatwheretheprovenancetrailends? Itdriesup.Wedon'tknowwherehecameacrossit,butIfhegotitinFlorencethechancesarehe boughtitintheearly1940s,oracquireditbygift,orwhatever.ButJeanneMarchigsaidhethoughtit wasperhapsaGhirlandaio,whichisnotdaft.HewasanexactcontemporaryofLeonardo,andthere arebeautifulportraitsofFlorentinewomenbyGhirlandaio.SoJeanneMarchigsaidtoChristie's, "Well,GianninothoughtthiswasbyGhirlandaio."Theysaid,no,itwasGerman19thcenturya German19thcenturypastiche,basically. Theyweren'ttheonlyonestodifferontheattributionofthepainting,andwhenyou firstannouncedthatyoubelievedittobeaLeonardo,alotofpeopledisagreed.One museumdirectoreventoldtheTelegraph'sRichardDorment,anonymously,thatit
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The Da Vinci Detective: Art Historian Martin Kemp on Rediscovering Leonardo's Tragic Portrait of a

wasa"screaming20thcenturyfake,andnotevenclosetoLeonardohimself."Has therebeenanyreversalsincethen? Idon'tknowwhothisanonymouspersonwas,butwecarbondatedtheparchment,andthat eliminatesitfrombeingascreamingmodernforgery.Ifitwereaforgery,itusedthingsthatwe've onlyrecentlydiscoveredaboutLeonardo'stechniqueinthelast20,30years.Thefactthatitwas ownedbyGianninoMarchigtakesitoutsidetheperiodwhenitcouldbeaforgery,knowingwhatwe nowknow,sothat'snotanoption.Theultravioletturnsupretouching,andit'sveryclearthatit's beenheavilyrestored,butmostobjects500yearsoldhavebeenheavilyrestored,includingthe "SalvatorMundi,"whichisthenewpicturebeingshownintheNationalGallery. Cananypentimenti,ortelltalesignsofcompositionalchangesduringtheartistic process,befoundintheportrait? Yes,thereareanumberofpentimenti.Youcanevenseeitinthebackoftheheadwheresomechalk drawinghasbeenrubbedout.Probablywithbread.Youcanseethestripeswheresomepigmenthas beenrubbedout.Therehavebeensomequitenicepentimenti,notbigones,becauseit'sarather formalimage,soyou'renotmovingtheheadaroundinabigway.Butitalsoshowedahandprint, whichisverycharacteristicofLeonardo.Whenhewaspaintinglefthandedhewouldpressdownthe sideofhisrightpalmintothecomposition,usingfleshtomakeflesh,asitwere.Bellinididabitof that,too,andDrerdidabitofthat.ButLeonardodiditveryextensively.Someyearsago,Iwasin theNationalGalleryinWashington,D.C.,withfingerprintexpertsfromtheF.B.I.,lookingat Leonardo'sportraitthere,the"Ginevrade'Benci,"andthereweremarksofthehandalltheway acrossthefleshtones.Averyunusualtechnique.Thatisveryclearinthe"Principessa"fromPascal Cotte'simaging. Noneofthedubiousscholarshavebeenbroughtaroundbythisnewevidence? Ihaven'thadanydirectfeedback,butIsentthefullstudytoallthemajorLeonardoscholarsIknew hopefullyIhaven'tleftanybodyoutsothey'vegotthedata.Theymaychoosenottobelieveit, andI'mnotgoingtogreatlengthstoconvincethemotherthantoproducetheevidence. Isthereanyplantobringthebookandthepaintingtogether? Notatthemoment,butthatwouldbeterrificatsomestage,toactuallyhavethebookandthe paintingtogether.Thatwouldbethenextobviousphase,todoanexhibitionwiththosethings broughttogether.But,onestepatatime.Firstwe'regoingtowriteuptheinitialresults,thefull technicalreportandeverything,inthebulletinoftheNationalLibraryinWarsaw.We'realsodoing anItalianeditionofmybook,sothatwillhaveallthenewmaterialinthereaswell.Asforthe receptionofit,I'mcompletelyrelaxed.Ifpeoplechoosenottobelieveit,I'vedonemybestwithit,I've producedevidencewhichIthinkisvery,verystrongaboutasstrongasitgets.Ifsomebodywishes todisbelievethat,that'stheirright.Iwon'tfeelgreatlyinsulted,anditdoesn'tmakemeastupid person.Nobodyhasdied.It'samatterofopinion.
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The Da Vinci Detective: Art Historian Martin Kemp on Rediscovering Leonardo's Tragic Portrait of a

TheNationalGalleryinLondonstandsbytheirrefusaltoincludethe"Principessa"in nextmonth'slandmarkLeonardoexhibition? AllI'veseensofarisaNewYorkPostreportsayingtheywon'tchangetheirstance.Well,theyrejected itfromtheirshow.IfIwereacuratorthere,Iwouldn'tshowitintheexhibitioneither. Whynot? Becausetheywouldn'thaveclearguaranteesit'snotgoingtobesoldoutoftheexhibition,asitwere. I'vebeenatrusteeoftheBritishMuseum,theNationalGalleriesofScotland,andIknowtheyhaveto beverycarefulinpublicgalleriesastowhattheyshow.Iftheworkisthoughttobeonthemarket, thenyou'renotwishingtobeseenaspartofthecommercialpresentationofit. Howdoesthatapplytothe"SalvatorMundi,"which,whenitwasrediscoveredearlier thisyear,wasimmediatelytoutedasbeinga$200millionpainting. You'dhavetoaskthegalleryabouttheassurancestheyhad.Theyhaveapparentlybeengiven assurancesthattheyregardedasreasonablethattheworkisnotpresentlyforsale. Twoofthecriticswhoweremostvociferousindifferingwithyourattributionofthe "Principessa"wereEdwardFaheyattheMetropolitanMuseumofArtandCarmen BaumbachatYaleUniversity.Baumbachwaspartofthegroupofscholars,which includedyou,thatattributedthe"SalvatorMundi." I'veneverhadanyreasoningfromCarmenwhyshe'snotpreparedtoacceptit.I'veonlyseenpress quotessaying,"Itdoesn'tlooklikeLeonardo,"whichisnotasatisfactorywaytoargue.Fahey,I'venot heardanythingfromatall.I'veheardnothingdirect,andI'venotevenseenanyreports,soIcan't commentonthat.FaheyisnotaLeonardoscholar.Carmenisaverydistinguishedscholarof Leonardodrawings.She'sbeengivenanopportunitytoseeit,butsofarhasn't.She'safriendofmine. Ifshechoosestothinkthatit'snotLeonardo,fine.We'restillfriends,andshe'sstillagreatscholar. ThetopechelonofLeonardoscholarshipseemstobeaverysmallcoterie. It'salimitednumber,but,Ithink,notundulyfractious.Ithinktherearecoteriesofscholarsofother figuresthataremuchmorefractious.Ithinkwegetalongquitenicely.Noproblemwiththem.The ItalianLeonardoscholarshaveaccepteditIthinkPietroMarani[theMilanbasedscholarin chargeofrestoring"TheLastSupper"]has,whohaddoubts.I'vesentthemalltheevidence.That'sall Icando.Thesearenotpersonalmatters. Onethingthatcriticsofyour"Principessa"attributiontendtobringupisthe involvementinyourresearchofPeterPaulBiro,afingerprintexpertwhosecredibility wasquestionedwhenhechampionedfakeJacksonPollockpaintings.Whatisyour opinionofhim?

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Well,BiroIknewofassomeonewho'dspecializedinfingerprintsandpaintings,soweaskedhimto lookatthefingerprintthatisintheupperleftsideofthe"BellaPrincipessa."Ihaddataon fingerprintsandfingermarksinotherLeonardopaintings,andhesaidoneofthesematchednot astoundingly,becauseit'sjustthetipofafinger,andonedoesn'trelyonfingerprintsonvellum.It wouldn'tconvictanybodyinthecourtoflaw.Youneedmorethanthat.Sohedidalimitedjobthere, andwedidn'tdependtoomuchonthatevidence.Thepresslikedit,ofcourse,becauseitwascops androbbersstuff. Iwouldnotnowprobablysaymuchaboutitatall,becauseonreflectionIthinkwedon'thavean adequatereferencebankofLeonardofingerprints.I'vetalkedtofingerprintspecialists,andthey typicallyrequireafullsetofreferenceprints.Wedon'thavethatforLeonardo.Mysenseisandthis isPascal'ssense,toothatit'sprobablypremature,givenwhatweknowaboutLeonardo's fingerprints,tocomeupwithmatchesatall.ButthejobBirodidwasperfectlystraightforward.There werenogroundsfordishonesty.PeterPaulBiroissayingtheallegationsareallnonsenseandissuing theNewYorker,butIcan'tcommentatalluponthecourtcasebecausethat'saboutthingsthatI knownothingabout,soit'dbetotallyimproper.Buthedidworkforus,whichInow,let'ssay,place lessrelianceon,simplybecause,onreflection,Ithinkthefingerprintevidenceisratherslippery. Becauseoftheworkyouhavedonetobringthe"Principessa"intothefoldof acknowledgedLeonardos,somesayyouhavecrossedfromtherealmofscholarship tosomethingmorelikeadvocacy.Howdoyouexplainyourpassionfortheportrait? Iwouldsaythatoneofthedifferencesbetweenbeingahistorianofartandbeingascientist,asIwas trained,isthatyou'redealingwithobjectsthataredeliberatelycommunicatingwithsomethingother thanjustourintellect.So,forme,it'snotadryprocess.Youbeginwiththefeelingthatit'sspecial, andifitstandsuptotheresearch,youendwiththefeelingthatit'sspecial,andImakenoapology forthat.I'vebeencriticizedasactingasanadvocateforit,butifI'mwriting,asIamin"Christto Coke,"aboutthe"MonaLisa,"I'manadvocateforthattoo,becauseit'samiraculouspicture.Also, whenI'mwritingabouttheCokebottle,I'mnotanadvocateforCokeasadrink.Ihateit.Butit'sone ofthealltimegreatbitsofproductdesign,andI'mhappytosaythat. Inthenewlyreleasedsecondeditionofyourbook"Leonardo,"youdescribethe "Principessa"asexhibiting"indescribabledelicacyandtenderness."Thatpassageis suffusedwithfeeling.Whatdrawsyousopersonallytothework? Youcan'tignorethestory."MonaLisa,"orLisaGherardiniasweknowhertobe,wasablameless Florentineupperbourgeoiswifewhodidwhatwivesdidandgavebirthtobabies,thendiedquitelate intheConventofSaintOrsolaanexemplarylife,asfaraswecantell.Ifeel,foralltheprincesses, thatthesearepawnsinelaboratedynasticgames.They'remarriedatabsurdlyyoungages,expected tobearchildren,anddie.Byanystandard,thewaytheyweretreatedishorrible.Inthe"Bella Principessa,"Leonardohascapturedthattenderfragilebeautyofsomeonewhoisonlyentering puberty,andhe'scapturedthatspectacularlywell.Ithinkit'sverymoving.
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