"The Last Leonardo: The Secret Lives of the World’s Most Expensive Painting"-Ben Lewis
By Leonardo da Vinci - Getty Images, Public Domain
Recently, I re-read a great book by Ben Lewis and thought I’d write a brief post about it. Enjoy!
This book takes a deep dive into the provenance, conservation, and sale of the newly re-discovered Salvator Mundi painting that some believe was painted, at least in part, by Leonardo DaVinci. The painting depicts a half-length image of Christ. Many claim that the “magic” qualities of Leonardo’s touches are evident in the piece, when they see it in person. On the other hand, more people are not convinced it should be attributed to Leonardo.
With many detailed accounts from trade insiders, art dealers, art investors/owners, typically in the form of letters, documents, ledgers, and restoration photos, you’ll learn about the restoration practices and procedures as they relate to care and maintenance and eventual sale of this masterpiece. Spoiler alert: The second restoration completed on this painting remains very controversial. Many believe that too much “artistic license” was taken which didn’t do justice to the work of Leonardo and/or his workshop. The reference material was taken from a copy of a workshop painting of a similar time and genre.
The author does his own thorough analysis of provenance, and I’ll sum it up by saying that when the piece was brought to America it was purchased for $1,775 at a small gallery in Louisiana. Later it was sold at a Christie’s auction for $450 million in 2017, (making it the most expensive painting in history). It was planned to be publicly exhibited at the Louvre in Abu Dhabi, but this never materialized. It is now in storage, most likely in Geneva Switzerland, and has never been shown since the sale. The condition is also poor and is becoming degraded over time and must be kept in a very stringent, climate-controlled environment.
Essentially, the consensus about the painting from most experts is that the Salvator Mundi was a Leonardo workshop painting and Leonardo painted small portions of it, such as the right hand. However, there is no evidence that it was painted in whole by Leonardo. There is still much debate and controversy over the painting, and it has still not been displayed publicly.
Overall, I’d recommend the book if you like Leonardo DaVinci, art history, and the commercial art market. It is well-researched and concise in language, but still intriguing and interesting and makes you want to keep reading to find out what unexpected event happens next with this painting and the journeys it takes.
I hope you enjoyed my blog. If you liked this blog, read my previous review blog about the lost Leonardo documentary on Starz. Please check out the rest of my website. It is updated regularly.
Source: “The Last Leonardo,” Ben Lewis.
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Copyright 2024 Tim Bovey.
By Leonardo da Vinci - Google News, Public Domain-After Cleaning
By Leonardo da Vinci - sfluxe, Public Domain