A friend mentioned to me a great NOVA program she watched. Mystery of a Masterpiece detailed an incredible story of a POTENTIAL chalk drawing that MAY BE an unknown work by Leonardo da Vinci. The video and corresponding National Geographic Article was very complete in its description of the steps that were taken to authenticate the drawing.
Carbon dating brings the work to teh era in which Leonardo da Vinci lived. The clothing has been authenticated as Italian Renaissance as well. Once scholars gained the information that the work COULD have been created by Leonardo da Vinci as it is of the correct era and of a similar style, they were excited! They started to investigate the authenticity further!
Scholars have discovered the woman in the picture is Bianca Sforza, the young teen daughter of the Duke of Milan. She died young, not long after the painting was completed.
The artwork was created on vellum, not typically used by Leonardo da Vinci. Scholars have found a book about Sforza's marriage, the Sforziad, in the Polish National Library in Warsaw. The vellum page fits perfectly in the book.
The hypothesis that this work is an additional "LADY" of Leonardo is still being authenticated. Until then, we'll have to appreciate his Three True Ladies and eagerly await additional news about this forth beautiful woman.
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