Leonardo da Vinci was a world-famous, enigmatic Renaissance genius who left an incredible artistic and scientific legacy for future generations. His paintings possess a unique charm and offer multi-layered puzzles yet to be sold. At present, there are fewer than 20 surviving works with proven da Vinci authorship, each of which has a unique story. Here, we discuss two Leonardo da Vinci paintings that disappeared many years ago and were miraculously rediscovered recently.

Battle of Anghiari: A Lost Masterpiece

Da Vinci started his work on The Battle of Anghiari in 1503. It was ordered for the decoration of Florence’s Palazzo Vecchio. The mural was meant to depict a military clash between Florence and Milan, which occurred in 1440. The work became popular due to numerous copies made by other renowned artists, including Peter Paul Rubens, and preparatory sketches by da Vinci that were preserved in good condition until modernity.

The Battle of Anghiari was painted in an experimental technique meant to reflect da Vinci’s mastery of capturing movement and emotion. It represented a unique combination of gesso and oil, which nonetheless did not adhere to the wall, leaving the work incomplete and leading to its later painting over by Giorgio Vasari. Vasari is suspected of preserving da Vinci’s work behind a false wall, which is confirmed by the enigmatic “Cerca Trova” inscription on his mural, meaning “seek and you shall find.” However, the discovery of da Vinci’s painting is currently impossible because of conservators’ concerns about ruining the Vasari legacy to uncover the underlying da Vinci mural.

Salvator Mundi: The Most Expensive of Leonardo Da Vinci Paintings

Another mystery surrounding Leonardo da Vinci paintings relates to the most expensive work by this master and the most expensive work in the world – Salvator Mundi (“Savior of the World”). This masterpiece was created circa 1499-1510 and was long considered a copy of one of da Vinci’s assistants. The art dealer Alexander Parish purchased the painting for a bit more than $1,000 at the 2005 estate sale and commissioned its restoration to Dianne Dwyer Modestini. After restoration, the painting was authenticated as a da Vinci original based on the authoritative verdict of Luke Syson and Martin Kemp, internationally renowned da Vinci experts.

With Leonardo da Vinci remaining one of the most enigmatic painters of the Renaissance period, the mysteries surrounding his paintings are not surprising. There is still much to be discovered and confirmed in relation to Salvator Mundi, and the mystery of The Battle of Anghiari is yet to be confirmed as well.