The documentary revolves around the authenticity (or, as the case may be, the non-authenticity) of a woman's bust supposed to have been sculpted by the great Leonardo da Vinci. The woman's bust is a handsome piece of art, which may have been made by Leonardo himself (in which case it would be worth a king's ransom) or by one of Leonardo's collaborators or admirers (in which case it would still be worth a pretty penny, although less than under hypothesis 1). And then there's yet another hypothesis, to wit the possibility that the bust was created much later as a deliberate forgery meant to cash in on the then-fashionable Leonardo-craze. The question has been moving art historians for a long time, with weighty arguments getting answered by equally weighty counter-arguments. Indeed, even non-specialists such as journalists and opinion makers have been stirring the pot, often out of motives related to personal or national prestige.
The documentary is pretty interesting, even for viewers whose knowledge of Leonardo da Vinci's work is less than universal. At times it ressembles a thriller or a real-life crime show, what with clues and proof being examined with near-forensic rigour. Many of the themes evoked will provide food for discussion, such as the use of expensive and prestigious art as a vehicle for personal or national prestige. The documentary also sheds a light on the world of art dealing and collecting, which, like a noble ship's keel, attracts a variety of unlovely mussels and barnacles...
And of course there's this preoccupation with Great Names. Does a sculpture need to be sculpted by Leonardo in order to become beautiful, striking, valuable ? Does a sonnet need to penned by Shakespeare in order to become wise, moving, precious ? Does an opera need to be composed by Verdi in order to become rousing, admirable, immortal ?
I won't tell you about the documentary's conclusions with regard to the origins of the bust. You'll have to watch it yourself...
The documentary is pretty interesting, even for viewers whose knowledge of Leonardo da Vinci's work is less than universal. At times it ressembles a thriller or a real-life crime show, what with clues and proof being examined with near-forensic rigour. Many of the themes evoked will provide food for discussion, such as the use of expensive and prestigious art as a vehicle for personal or national prestige. The documentary also sheds a light on the world of art dealing and collecting, which, like a noble ship's keel, attracts a variety of unlovely mussels and barnacles...
And of course there's this preoccupation with Great Names. Does a sculpture need to be sculpted by Leonardo in order to become beautiful, striking, valuable ? Does a sonnet need to penned by Shakespeare in order to become wise, moving, precious ? Does an opera need to be composed by Verdi in order to become rousing, admirable, immortal ?
I won't tell you about the documentary's conclusions with regard to the origins of the bust. You'll have to watch it yourself...