Painting signed “L daVinci” yields clues to its origins
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Researchers at Uppsala University in Sweden analyzed pigments in a painting signed “L daVinci” to learn more about its history.
The painting depicts the Roman Emperor Domitian and was once attributed to Titian before the da Vinci signature appeared. Jakob Thyr and Tomas Edvinsson used Raman spectroscopy to examine the chemical composition of the paint, identifying thirteen pigments overall.
Twelve of the pigments matched those used in the Middle Ages and Renaissance, meaning they would have been available to both da Vinci and Titian. However, the team also discovered Prussian blue in two areas of the painting, a pigment not created until the 18th century. This finding suggests the painting received later alterations or retouching, as X-ray imaging revealed differences between the visible laurel wreath and underlying layers.
The researchers emphasize that pigment analysis is one factor among many when determining a painting’s authenticity and that further art historical and scientific investigation is needed. They believe materials science will play a growing role in understanding art and archaeological artifacts.
