Feb. 20, 2009 -- Leonardo da Vinci had long blond hair and piercing blue eyes, according to a portrait that has come to light in southern Italy. Showing the Renaissance master in a three-quarter profile and wearing a hat, the slightly damaged oil painting on wood was discovered by a medieval historian in the private collection of an aristocratic family from Acerenza, a hill town near Potenza in Basilicata. "The link with Acerenza is not so unusual. We know that Leonardo visited this remote region. We know that a powerful Florentine family, the Segnis, lived in Acerenza around the 16th century. Leonardo had a close friendship with this family, and even gave them one of his drawings as a gift," medieval historian Nicola Barbatelli told Discovery News. Related Content:
The 60- by 44-centimeter (23.6- by 17-inch) portrait doesn't show any sign of preparatory drawing, which indicates that it was made by an expert hand. "Moreover, the back of the painting has revealed an inscription written in the typical Leonardo's reverse handwriting which reads 'Pinxit mea,' basically hinting to a self-portrait," Barbatelli said. Experts are now investigating whether the painting really dates to Leonardo's time. In the past, several portraits have been hailed as Leonardo self-portraits -- all resulting in wrong attributions. The most famous example is a portrait at the Uffizi gallery in Florence. For more than two centuries, it was celebrated as a self-portrait by the Florentine master. But in 1938, X-rays revealed that the painting was made at least a century after Leonardo's death in 1519. "We need to find out the exact dating of this portrait," said Alessandro Vezzosi, director of the Museo Ideale in the Tuscan town of Vinci, where the artist was born in 1452. "At a first examination, I can say some things, such as the plume on the hat, have been added at a later stage. One eye, the one damaged by a scratch, is original, the other has been repainted. I also have some doubts about the mouth," Vezzosi told Discovery News. Get More NewsSpiders, Scorpions Among World's Oldest CreaturesMany creepy crawlies have been on Earth much longer than previously believed.Blood-Sucking Vampire Bats Sing DuetsWhite-winged vampire bats "harmonize" with separated roost mates.Oldest Hebrew Writing Possibly FoundAncient inscriptions on a 3,000-year-old pottery shard could make history.Rare, Prehistoric-Age Reptile Found in N.Z.A tuatara has been spotted on the New Zealand mainland for the first time in 200 years.Iceman Has No Living RelativesOetzi, the 5,300 year-old frozen mummy, left no living genetic legacy.SLIDE SHOW: Landscapes of TerrorWhat makes a place feel scary? There are scientific explanations.It's Official: People Are Warming the PolesHumans are conclusively to blame for polar warming, say scientists.Eight-Armed Animal Preceded DinosaursWhat may be one of Earth's first animals was no bigger than a coaster and had eight arms.Phoenicians Live on in People's GenesOne in 17 Mediterranean men may be descended from ancient Phoenicians.Pesticides, Fertilizers Linked to Frog DeclineA pesticide is found to promote parasites among amphibians.Hubble Telescope Taking Photos AgainThe Hubble Space Telescope is once again snapping stunning photos of the universe.Andean Mummy Hairs Show Hallucinogen UseScientists find direct evidence of hallucinogenic drug use among ancient Andeans.Opals on Mars Reveal Planet's Long Wet PastOpals found on Mars suggest the planet has been wet for much longer. |
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