The work – a portrait of a thin, bald, bearded figure in a black coat and white shirt with necktie that has been in the house for centuries – could be by the Renaissance master, although the evidence is far from clear.
In 2018, a document dated 1874 was found in the archives of the Château de Valençay in central France that detailed the existence of such a portrait.
This spurred a search for the painting, which eventually led to its discovery in the castle storeroom.
According to historians, the painting’s wooden support appears too smooth to belong to Leonardo’s time, though it’s entirely possible that the wood is an addition undergone during restorative work carried out in the late 19th century.
The painting will now undergo months of testing to verify its provenance and to ascertain the possibility of it being a true Leonardo.
If it is indeed by Leonardo of Machiavelli, it could be the first proof that the two men had met.
