The experts confirmed the authenticity of Raphael
ARTinvestment.RU   17 июня 2010

The authenticity of the painting "Madonna of the Carnation", bought by the National Gallery in 2004 for 34 million pounds, doubted for many years, believing it likely to counterfeit or copy. Recent studies show the benefit of authorship Raphael

Experts from the British National Gallery have found evidence that the painting "Madonna of the Carnation", bought by the museum in 2004 for 34 million pounds, is a true product of the great Raphael.

long time, it works, is a collection of the Duke of Northumbrian, was considered falsification of the XIX century, or a copy of a lost original. In 1991, interest in fine art frame, which was concluded in the picture, and decided to scan it with infrared radiation. The study showed the presence of a top layer of colorful podmalevka characteristic of works by Raphael. The pictures were also clear that the author made changes to the original version of the picture, but it hardly would do if he worked on the copy. Therefore, Nicholas Penny (Nicholas Penny), then held the post of curator of Renaissance painting, and later became director of the National Gallery, acknowledged "Madonna" genuine work of Raphael. However, many experts put such an attribution in question: the fact that a more detailed examination of the painting is not done, because gallery is not its owner.

In 2004, Duke decided to sell the Northumbrian "Madonna with the nails "Los Angeles Getty Museum. But the British government blocked the export of this valuable work abroad, to enable the National Gallery to find the necessary funds and buy now. As a result, the museum was able to collect 22 million pounds, and the government promised to release the owner from paying tax in the amount of 12 million pounds. Thus, the "Madonna" has remained in the UK and became the property of the National Gallery.

Now the specialists could carry out all necessary tests. An expert from the National Gallery Eshok Roy (Ashok Roy), who led the research, said that the analysis of primers showed the presence of its three components: white lead, ground glass and so-called. Lead-tin yellow pigment. "The secret of its manufacture was lost in the XVII century. Therefore, to detect it in the forgery of the XIX century is simply impossible ", - he explained.

The analysis of samples of paint also managed to find another rare pigment, which is based on bismuth. It was used by Italian painters until the early XVI century. It is known that Raphael also used it, so the confidence experts in the authorship of the great masters of further consolidated.

«Madonna of the Carnation" can be seen at the National Gallery for the exhibition "thorough examination" which opens June 30. It is dedicated to scientific technologies that help to determine forgery, identify the original works of old masters, as well as restore valuable works of art.

Material prepared Ekaterina Guseva, AI

Source: timesonline.co.uk , artinvestment.ru