october 92011

Treasure hunt TheBrits whoare taking on the Somali pirates

Save, save, save Meet the lottery winners whowon’t live it up

Fingers crossed This ‘lost’masterpiece turnedupinmysterious circumstances. The claimsit’saLeonardo.Can theybesure? FEAsAlvTUREAToR NAMUNdME i leonardo?

Apreparatory chalk sketch Restoration reveals the Another draperystudy of draperybyLeonardo artist’s original position appears to be echoed in the forthe Salvator Mundi forthe thumb folds andfall of asleeve

Thispainting of Christ will go on display at theNationalGallerynextmonth in a landmark exhibition on . It hasbeenvaluedat$200m andexperts and ConVInCeMe dealersclaim it is arediscoveredmasterpiece. Canitbe? Report by KathyBrewis

24 The Sunday Times Magazine 09.10..2011 TheSundayTimes Magazine 09.10.2011 25 26 wh pa go to Bu the up or Mu sh Ne tr narra cept something and Le he Las “p has the Salv one aissance in A The ue retty see If ev sold fetched for ip his ow PA uses. onard ing tb wY Sunday “I sa cl ose pain Na ndi .N tS Fo been at of er the in th is ose ti eca ners wi $76.7m ti the lifetime up tional ow or or ma portraiture eS sav ac raf ra for to ve rela IN opin su ting “P use .I Times Mo o’ t. per ka Mu ge dia Salv losely hav tha al re of d—a tm —t res sp eople $140m $135m. ew It er tions ba ni TI vator ’s rt ”t it’ .T tes na Ga ions wh ndi traits wo pain bla wa ab ts ortraits sh Magazine ec he yw us ig his tored ,i —a ck. at sL de ha we his ller ame out the nc ht NG Lisa. sp rl or ares ic ck guard official nd hanged can ma by hip tor aler eonard ti eird Yo ek d. fter Mundi hy yo luding ting be could in -a Mu before y’ tw In articular same in Le yr yo de 19 si uc Th pain and sd judg nd ur XX to , 2006. ou yo something SB Th is “T 2002, as picture being nL onard ndi emains circula 08 ed uc .X only an irector ere the -w line of es ur X. repr oy are aL hands. hey eL were be kind ting hailed 2011 ef Le the secret. ond ’t ertainly hite pec sh (Sa Chris only ou we vie In YN think the or eonard ad is 20 onard judged ly ap Massacre od esen ow Mo res is ,” viour ,w on it of do tt re ob tion, yw themselv we the indeed ex photogra art. 21s kno is sa aV making The ch in saf ol ho scure man Ro pond, na wo yo as cited tb r. ,h ting a“ ab ys ith tense o. same UM t. ance ook inci. ot Th cl wn Th uw wa bert by Lisa of nd consorti and the es out Th lessing biggest Ni air aims ys the he to .I the the ey at exper er ab nt of ay eS pain ck ill .M at presence but ts Th ly es.” wa them Simon, original uc realise momen year ph and no wa if Ermine BE im out the s, people ow Wo be alv ow Pe it.” he cr uc eR hp yo ve bod ting from ply with sn hold um tc price nn ab ,G ner- ud wa at Th this ner ho u’ Innocents rl the s. en RS or- ex He or onsensus ot re d) le ustav y, It ”. y $200m, a a e e s s - - f t . , tag ha I’ reluctan ove Pe ing they pri only making wa he knoc extra mon. the ve Wh ing thoug ob to th collection la tra de ins Lisa’ da gl rian Klimt’ ve to te ob er ry y) America, at ve nn sessional ha vac ditional Th Ne nt pires in ove wo ri ya it e’ collector by date .S e. h, go ss think He wisely king to be y, ordinar go “O ed st ds 2007 would t. ar eC In ht ya imon rl Le ll rf taL mile wh Pe sA be ne he Bu rb aL ne tly d. ly it omething to amiliarity the 195 to is hris nd onard aw ter on ert for ofi one dele at same Bu they’ .S to tw 500 do .“ eonard for ,b eonard sh be jus ge wo 8i st be secrecy security de om ea If rue the see yi Pa ’s rs esn tt Cook ti ut ye hen ow st at of he tw Jackson wo ts vo es ts n’ Bloch-Bauer he nq the ve nt ye nd od ul ars he immedia an ure ing do ’t it Rubens ’d the aid tr ta aw tion. as me rth ars go wo Rubens his wa o—p Ig .H uality yp mu aV has said ex ev te some o’ most or for and only sold of ?“ taL to mos the ,” ot ,Iw ,” is rk .” nt eal citing eople wa around af pain inci ch “R sa as It blessing jus me rig recalls ‘I cl people Po ter has arts then pain .” eonard ’s ss ho ys the by expensiv wh think more ob t cy imilar tha ose ould ht t£ va (below tha llock’ jus st ting sa old his wi ert Si- and ne the he ill of at hand (below 45 ti previous lua ,It t- y su t t tm ve $2 tw the in hasn ly Britis oa rf (a sN ;h sl houg ble rb 00m ade 200 ac bout ig left) st ep as is nd is wo o5 een ea ht pain ed right) raised ’t in left ainting ha go its ht rk ly df year 5. ,w the sold wh (£126m £800 ap officially as unner bonk It rt journey it ting we holds hich ’s en tg Mo ri could his in re no va az s the the ers to- to- na so in v- w te e; ), a ars dra coming de Simon. left, grou galler Bella hims essen tr thinking Pe st researc immedia popped career we thing can in tus non ove ‘L to expert’ Cohen, paid sometimes in Sa lo la to boug Cod Kim an at ye ve eonard teres do nn Fe cramen aler the ll- Th Bu Le we rl es from professor -d mak ex bell, sp as ro rs po br $2 yt honed ht elf ook with Principessa, onard sc tial, y’ th ree efinite ra of sfuma Le sr ired ts, wh su Iw uar ad fe 4. h—“ old the Le Th fp sc in as ome ey up ow am taf disrepair ed eputa os’ ices 3m st tely not ye ch It xtremely va eople onard onser Le to alk to ho oc ere “a y2 him tin hedg he ourself art ?Q aly o’ via could ars mis mon riend useum ncemen us look It as onard for fO ter effect. we to sp jus laimed up ed 006 ya ha ha we ’s tion, uite seeing of ter and “T ,i ,f Pa ag Pe tec rdina tr ortr ve va another as e- o’ tfi moun db in, all dt thly nc or re art at ’s us sv here e” ap oa ag fund ,” ul ter r. tion for nancial lipper on hniq look easily ag luding ,” in Th house his pictures more oug there aits the from t.” in thin he “Y as ,” for Collectors Ea po ass ram billionaire leas galler va mu pain an tells and en ain nother t. his Allen, he Ke tion. Fo ow Silv wh aller $135m. ’s ed ts sa ti tak ou Bu Ma st lue uine recalls. presence king in ht st ’d are expert ab time ue mp ting something um money st rt tor llus Old Wh t, of ys ,i udios ys ped at tha is ifficulty ting me oi for ti wa America, tw st ing erman, are it in can not d—n Wo some not y’ yb tt rtin but ig Af pigmen wh the Ma uneart lg yo tw ya ption wa lope fr um ;a sp Le “n tra of of ,s on n$ urns Sw Ma oc st hen, idiot.” some and ea om no increases rth, ye up bi amous uw la nd ow be easily ereb professional ew an rtin tO si ill onard res sfuma Mi .” in he his ted “A Ke bled 30m easels itzer or ccused ould gb zes, t. ,” st Le pa in nt .” the flog ano Bill American ch ado the is Exhibiting nd Te hile tig yo an with out. xford. Le er tw crosoft; he aP jo mp hly is t, onard notebook pain Ke rigued. it’ yme Ca y uy time ang tha ined confer xas, the land. it e, —P ud tt and onard in up oy con sw oh ove sa la price ge ther by lescen ,p Ga to aris art mp Klim it’ ers, ution af for in de ac “I os ye 19 an ys of ta dl on artly its nt ears ting of so eh ev av orth ford tes, wis oussin recen Mi ro va taining ge ura scribes os af ,e “T mar “a 94 Ro ee sale r -based . ha ything de ts It es ve for eb elop as nl .“ va In it St o” ands, as ts meri- ter up ts rious nt .Y tg —a ch ddle hese .T little la ving wh tt hful ome bert tor aler st tha wa ,t ag Th yo du in oan an lue ,L ev een are old .A en the art ke oft, his ter ir it? ou ol- tly ,i on he he ed he he o, n ’s ’s u y o a l, a a e e e s t t t t t . ,

PREVIOUSPAGESLEFTANDSECONDRIGHT:ROYALCOLLECTION,HERMAJESTYQUEENELIZABETHII;SECONDLEFTANDFARRIGHT:LEONARDODAVINCI/2011SALVATORMUNDILLC.THESEPAGES,TOPLEFT:COURTESYOFWITTLIBRARY COURTAULDINSTITUTEOFART. CENTRE:THEPRINCESCZARLORYSKIFOUNDATION.TOPRIGHT:ROYALCOLLECTION,HERMAJESTYQUEENELIZABETHII.BOTTOM,FROMLEFT:THETHOMSONCOLLECTION/ARTGALLERYOFONTARIO;AKGIMAGES One Pe Grann up sm Th ter udgy eN und of Pa ew the er for fing ul a“ “O Yo au qu Biro mu erprin rk then es er ltis ,w tioning h, ,t tica tb ho pectral he Bu yt is tors my va he ti ,i ‘I su lidity nal ’d artis ”d tw for ing igital lik ength tha tt the as go of ha et tp his scanner to wri so ya ain os d, nly proof ter co rtic ting ay sh Da nt it . le owe wa Il —a vid ra for ’s d oo s ry al ke (he expresses hand pain Ke wa to da mp sd ra us os ting ed), ra ually ti ti is wn on tL ta among as and in aL by wo teres al nd found al eo eonard rk th ti the eft sa ed nm ou -h on id na experts al and o. gh aking , wo etter He t’ er rd od). de ap (L in wh mons eonard ain He o!” wh ov ting also ic alida tra hL ow on ted cl eonard aims ted ve as tha llum left the ti to o - t wo there portrait And God, pun (t ha cen one Simon. ing va to mu an his and the of the and ex of pr in The an the Re Le The he ne epa pr ft: other her naissa Ne tor ve ra old od “I’ Fo He Ermine tly ch In ove subject’s Sa ap rl near ession broug cl t. look Le su tional so ra wY found, if dl delic it’ ums rt lv st wa Ma It ha artmen inhibited ea ona wra friend, seems to gg rpain at lo sal itute “T nc began ha ik wo wa d“ ly ry or ed st nd or s es rio at em rd (1488-90) sugg et ht he yr something db pped sk ma kU se ten Mundi eh ted so sr o’s os thoug “L at subtle in os Simon et of ting Mo epair an id ve near-mira ul. een st the an tL t. emo est it eonard ad ted ches ni Lad Po Fi ea ay tha erpiec at n Mo Belo with ds it by de ve sa eonard (t ne there etecti dis ye land, ”a all wa wo yw in ht Il ve op wo tt st rsity’ n the is de at ars w: Arts. nd ook .A ag rk tinguis ini, hey d—w but e. ss ith left). his rk os” Th st at ab ve st and the then rey nd oi ag culous. eS ini ty ed sC of o!’ then out at ru wife hang to Sh ,r st mp un o, pas ei one book onser at binliner ith put ined then, enaissance-is or —b da hed ha the ec been the tw ossible yT ,D it 98 y. tc ap ve ’s leaned on it and St ut im en as art pain ianne by blessing from opinion va and using up ag emer ill, es planed to Id turies in.” tion ove Mag de em and said, ,s it wh on ting idn confined off ,p wh aler oc az for ge rpain as issing Cen the en took in )a rofessor MUND SA ’t on fla hp some conser- ds ‘O ic e wa hand… olv ,” a nd took some- 09.10.2011 ht t. easel trar ter hm LV a ain or sa ting ss it en Bu . the his AT ys to of of to e- t- y y t, o a t I OR 27 salvator mundi

Return of aprincess? pretty sure there was ardoisasource of fantasy. Thepaintingsare not either aterrifically good knowable,”hemuses.“Everyoneofthempresents cametolightjust painting or aLeonardo aproblem and achallenge.”Eventhis one at this three yearsago in Britain in the mid-17th stage? “A rt historians are a prickly, competitive century,”saysKemp. His lot. Iwouldn’t be surprised if someone stucktheir while for further analy- team found newhistori- hand up and said, ‘I don’tbelieve it.’”Could the sis. Thefirststage of res- cal evidence —aninven- expertsbewrong?“They could be wrong about toration took twoyears. toryfor the dispersal of anything.But as much as Ibelieve in anything in It wasn’t until 2007, Charles I’sgoods after he this world, Ibelieve this is by Leonardo.”How when the curls in wasexecuted, which have the owners reacted to the authentication? Christ’shair,ofunbe- mentioned the painting. “Happily,” says Simon. I’ll bet! lievable delicacy,were Later it wasowned by Frank Zöllner of Leipzig University is arare fully revealed, thatSi- the DukeofBucking- dissenter: he thinksthe proportions of the nose mon started to wonder if ham, whose son put it up (“too long”for such aperfectionistasLeonardo) it might be by Leonardo for auction in 1763.There makeitmore likely to have been by atalented fol- himself.Other clues follows agap in the his- lower. Therestare convinced, if alittle jealous slowly emerged, includ- torical record. “Then this thatthey didn’t unearth it themselves. “People in ing adifferentoriginal picture,whichwe’ve the art worldget sniffy about dealers,” says Ben- position for the thumb, nowgot, appears in the dorGrosvenor,director of the London fine-art apentimento.More than Cook collection in 1900,” dealership Philip Mould. “But if it wasn’t for the 20 copies of theimage exist, all with the thumb Kemp continues. “Itwas photographed and trade,discoveries likethis wouldn’t be made.Spe- in its final position. “Itwas very clearly achange looked hideous.” cialistdealers are the ones whoare prepared to by the artist,” says Simon. “That’swhen Ithought, Could these paintingsbeone and the same?A buy a dirty picture, roll their sleeves up and get ‘This really could be the original.’” leapoffaith isn’t enough. ButKemphas various stuckintoseeing what it is.” He showedittoMina Gregori, aretired profes- clues up his learned sleeve,including what he Is it wise for the National Gallerytoput it on sor at Florence university, who was stunned: “I calls “intellectual consistency”. Leonardowas show so soon after its authentication?“They are believe it’sbyLeonardo.”Then he showeditto fascinated by the mechanics of vision, and the taking arisk,”saysGrosvenor,“and Ican’t ap- Nick Penny, whohad justbeen appointed director painting employs depth of field: the face is in plaud them enough for it. Connoisseurship is a of the National Gallery. “Heunderstood it in a softer focus than the raised hand. Then there is nebulous discipline.There can neverbeabsolute nanosecond. He said thatone of his ambitions the sphere,with little dots in it thatglisten in the 100%proof.You have to accept there’s an element of doubtand go with it.” Luke Sysons, the show’s curator,isone of the fewpeople whoknowwho owns the picture.“We ‘Peopleinthe artworld getsniffyabout dealers, butthey’re couldn’t exhibit it otherwise.It’snot being wafted to us in abrown envelope.” He says it’snot so theonespreparedtobuy adirty picture, strangethatthe trail goes cold in the 19th century —those 20 or more copies makeitharder to track, roll theirsleeves up andget stuckintoseeingwhatitis’ and by the time the Salvator Mundi showedup in the Cook collection, it hadbeen so badly “repaired”thatnobodythought it wasaLeonardo wasfor the gallerytobeavenue for scholarly in- light.Kemphas worked out thatthis is rockcrys- anyway.Similarly,nobodyhas aclue where quiryand researchand thathe’dlikethe painting tal, aparticular interestofLeonardo’s. “The heel TheLadyinthe Ermine hadgot to between 1498 to be brought to London so it could be compared of the hand is showntwice.The restorer thought and the early 19th century. “It’sthe Antiques to the .” It wasPennywho told this must be apentimento,but in fact Leonardo Roadshow factor.Something’s justsitting on a him: “You need aconsensus.” has pickedupthe fact thatrockcrystal has adou- wall somewhere.” In late May2008 Simon brought it over, un- ble refraction. None of the followers knewthat As befits apainting associated with the most framed, in aspecially built box, in the first-class sort of stuff.” enigmatic of artists, nobodyknows howthis story cabin of apassenger jet “with security at either Scientific tests revealed thatthe pigments were will end. “Itwould be nice to show it in the US, as end, and nervousness”. Then the various scholars of the right vintage;high-resolution viewers well, but it’saone-step-at-a-time situation,” says came —Martin Kemp from Oxford, David Alan showedimprints of ahand. “Weknowheused Simon. “Itwould be unfortunate for apainting Brown from Washington, Carmen Bambach from the heel of his right hand to soften paint.” Infra- thathas neverbeen on public viewbefore to be NewYork, Pietro Marani and Maria Teresa Fiorio red photographyshowedupfurther pentimenti returned to obscurity.” Somehow, thatseems from Milan —and the scholarly researchbegan. —the cross and stole on Christ’schesthad been altogether unlikely s Youcan only imagine the hushed excitementas repositioned, and the fingers thathold the globe Leonardo da Vinci: Painteratthe CourtofMilan is at each started to think the unthinkable. were at firstdrawn in adifferentposition. the NationalGalleryfrom November9 to February5 There are twoLeonardosketches for drapery Since Robert Simon went public with the dis- (www.nationalgalleryorg.uk).Christ to Coke: HowIm- for the Salvator Mundi —and an engraving of the covery,hehas receivedmanyemails from Leon- age Becomes Icon, by Martin Kemp (OUP, £25), is original, made in London by the German- ardofanatics. “There’s the serious obsession and published on October 13.Toorder it from The Sunday born etcher Wenceslaus Hollar.“So we are really there’s the lunatic one —people for whom Leon- Times Bookshop at £22.50 incp&p, tel:0845 2712135 corbis

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