March 23, 2009
A Sketch found could be a da Vinci
A Tiny red chalk sketch, carried to Australia in a handbag and hung in a Perth house for generations, is being studied as a possible work of 15th Century Italian Renaissance genius, Leonardo da Vinci
If authenticated, the 22cm by 12cm unsigned sketch of an old man’s face could be worth millions, and would instantly become one of the art world’s most significant recent finds.
The sketch came to the attention of Perth art dealer Paul Swain last week, when it was referred to him by the Art Gallery of Western Australia.
On first sight he believed it could be the work of da Vinci.
Mr Swain, who runs Perth’s Greenhill Gallery, is now travelling to the UK to consult experts at the Tate Gallery.
He then intends to have the paper carbon dated to see if it correlates with a date of around 1450, the time the Italian Master may have drawn it.
“All I am trying to do is to establish its credibility, get it carbon dated and take it one step at a time,” Mr Swain said.
“It’s in a tacky little frame, with very old glass on the front of it, but (when I saw it) I thought ‘Oh yeah, it actually could be’.
“I will get them to look at the image first to see if it looks legit, and then we’ll have the paper the drawing was drawn on carbon dated to pinpoint the era in which it was drawn.
“From there, we will take it to the real experts, in London and Paris and Italy, and get them to have a look at it.”
With the sketch being kept hidden from public view until authentication has taken place, Mr Swain would only say it is very similar to another sketch, Study of the Heads of an Old Man and a Youth.
“It is very similar, but a front view,” Mr Swain said.
The Perth family who own the sketch, and want to remain anonymous, have had the piece displayed at their home for generations, after it was brought to Australia from the UK early last century.
“The owner is a local guy, and it was given to a member of his mother’s family … a gift to her from someone who had a huge collection,” Mr Swain said.
“Apparently she did a favour for them and they said ‘Pick a piece from our collection’.
She picked the smallest piece because it would fit in her luggage to come home to Australia.
“She picked the smallest piece, which ended up being the most significant piece, and brought it out to Australia in her handbag – and it could turn out to be a da Vinci.”
The last da Vinci sketch to be sold at auction went for more than $22.5 million in July 2001 – more than double the expected amount.
Da Vinci’s Horse and Rider sketch was sold at Christie’s in London, and at the time equalled the world record price paid for an Old Master drawing.
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