Hidden underneath one of Leonardo da Vinci's paintings, art historians have uncovered clues about how the famous Renaissance thinker and painter created his masterpieces.
After a laborious 18-month restoration, an art conservation team has discovered that da Vinci's "Virgin of the Rocks" painting was likely created by him and him alone.
Some other da Vinci paintings are said to be collaborative efforts between the master and several of his students.
The painting, a slightly newer version of the one on display at the Louvre, also appears to be not quite finished. The restored version will hang in London's National Gallery. (See a picture of the two versions side by side here.)
The cleaning process revealed details long hidden under a coat of varnish applied more than 60 years ago, Reuters reported.
The restoration revealed that different parts of the painting had been completed at different times, with the angel's hand barely sketched and the heads of the main figures almost finished, the gallery told Reuters.
"In the past, gallery curators, like many scholars of Renaissance painting elsewhere, have explained the different levels of finish and resolution in the picture by arguing that Leonardo was helped by assistants," the gallery said in a statement to Reuters. "It now seems possible that Leonardo painted all the picture himself."
No word yet on whether other da Vinci paintings will be reexamined for the same details.
"The cleaning adds to years of research into this painting, including the discovery in 2005 of a hidden underdrawing," the gallery said in a press release.
Image courtesy of London's National Gallery
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