Do you remember when Bill Gates bought the Codex Hammer not long after he became the richest man in the world? Well, there’s a dearth of da Vincis out there for billionaires to buy. Which may explain the excitement around this picture that was previously attributed as a 19th Century German marriage portrait. According to the New York Times, various scientific tests and art historical opinions suggest it may be the master’s work. But the $50 million supposedly already offered by a Russian buyer also points to the motives that would make many eager to believe.
“The market is a fairly efficient place,” said Hugh Chapman, assistant keeper at the department of prints and drawings at the British Museum in London. “This would be an amazing miss.”
