[Enchante]

I’m no expert, but this painting does not seem as “finished” as the Mona Lisa. For the Renaissance era and for Da Vinci specifically, it has (to my eye) a somewhat vague and incomplete appearance, as though it needed more work.... the eyes especially! The eyes are very disappointing for an Old Master painting, I would say. I don’t know if the attribution is rock-solid but to my amateur eyes I immediately think it’s more likely to be by a student of Leonardo Da Vinci than by Da Vinci himself..... but what do I know, ha ha??

[Republicanprofessor]

Thanks for the ping, otherwise I would have missed this story.

I am utterly unfamiliar with this work. Seems as if I should have known about it after 40 years of studying art history. I agree with those who say that if it was a real Leonardo it would fetch closer to $300 million.

I find the lower face and neck disturbing and vague in form. It seems as if the artist was trying to get the mystery of the shading (fancy word chiaroscuro) around the face as in the Mona Lisa, but here it is a vague brown blur instead.

But the hands and globe and eyes are very nicely painted. It can be a very satisfying painting without having been done by Leonardo da Vinci.

[firebrand]

This looks more like him than any other depiction I have ever seen. Not the features, particularly, but the attitude, the mood, the serenity. No melodramatic eyes rolling upward to heaven etc.

[Duchess47]

It seems unfinished to me also. It doesn’t appear much like his painting of Christ in the last supper, and the crystal ball seems odd.

I’m definitely an amateur though, just love his paintings.

[PLMerite]

"... a somewhat vague and incomplete appearance, as though it needed more work.... the eyes especially!"

It's been hanging on a wall for 500 years, it just needs a little restorative work: