In his book “A Forger’s Tale” Shaun Greenhalgh claimed to have drawn La Bella Principessa, work attributed to Leonard Da Vinci after extensive and expensive researches were done, including large number of scientific tests (carried out by Pascal Cotte), experts analyses (Martin Kemp) and even a fingerprint, supposedly Leonard’s, was found in the drawing.
In response to the Greenhalgh claim, Pascal Cotte has released some new (previously unpublished) results from his tests. These showed conclusively, he said, that radio-active decay levels in the pigments confirmed a date earlier than the 17th Century. In response, Greenhalgh claimed that he made his own pigments from organic materials of appropriate age, including ‘iron-rich clay and charcoal from ancient trees.
This come to show how fragile the art world can be, and how forgery is becoming an art in and of itself: LaBellaPrincipessa
Let’s stay tuned!
