Peter Silverman, an art collector, had an amazing luck – in 2007 he bought a painting “Young Girl in Profile in Renaissance Dress” on ordinary sale at price of £12 000. Scientific research confirmed, that this can be unknown portrait made by Leonardo da Vinci in the 16th century. And in fact it’s worth millions of pounds!

Leonardo da Vinci

The same painting was sold in 1998 in Fine Art Auction House Christie’s as “German, early 19th century”. World’s best art-authorities committed a huge mistake – and weird is that someone noticed this, bought the painting, gave to examination and became a millionaire from day-to-day. A Paris laboratory discovered that a fingerprint near the top of the left site of the work is very similar to Leonardo’s – to make a comparison other works of this renaissance genius were used.

Besides this one element there are also other things that might speak for the theory of Leonardo da Vinci autorship – similarity with other his works, left handedness of the artist, soft drawing and perfect chiaroscuro.

Painting was made with chalk and colour inks, and it presents a beautiful woman in gorgeous costume probably descended from late 15th century, Milanese fashion. Martin Kemp, Emeritus Research Professor in the History of Art at Oxford University, has written a book about the painting and has identified the girl as Bianca Sforza, the daughter of Ludovico Sforza.