In my research on ancient painting techniques, I found one of the most interesting materials was Oil of Spike Lavender – a key ingredient in Leonardo da Vinci’s technique that allowed him to do amazing visual effects. Dating back at least to Alexandria, it helped to fuel a new artistic approach taken by the Netherlands painters. I spoke with Mark Balma, the Leonardo specialist who has recreated Leonardo’s Salvator Mundi in order to demonstrate the technique, and Mark was planning a presentation in collaboration with the BBC. However, there is a problem: the original Salvator Mundi has mysteriously disappeared.
Mark pointed out that Leonardo was an innovator in the realm of painting. Before Leonardo, painters would use a toned ground or imprimatura to set the canvas tone somewhere between bright white and very dark. An artist could then base the applied lights and darks on that middle ground. However, Leonardo had another idea.
Leonardo wanted to take advantage of the light reflecting from the white canvas itself. This meant he needed more transparent layers, in contrast to the opaque paints in common usage. Leonardo may have learned from the musical instrument makers of his time, who coated their lutes with protective transparent layers of varnish made with spike lavender, oils and resins. In similar fashion, Leonardo learned to make his paints more transparent so the light could pass through.
While other painters before Leonardo might use 2 or 3 layers of color, it was common for Leonardo to use 20 layers. This allowed for a highly complex rendering of lights and shadows. For the previous artists who used only oil as their medium, 2 or 3 layers was the limit due to the thickness and yellowing of the oil. Since Mark had recreated Leonardo’s process – the showing of the Salvator Mundi was the perfect time to demonstrate the technique.
Some art historians are now questioning the authenticity of the Salvator Mundi – at least parts of it. Is it really Leonardo’s work? My curator friend from the Chazen Art Museum is very skeptical about it. She points out that Leonardo had many workers in his studio, and it is difficult to attribute anything to his personal hand. It is possible that the head was painted by Leonardo, and the rest was finished by his assistants. But then I think to myself, well it sold at Christie’s auction in New York for $450 Million dollars - that’s gotta count for something. The real problem is, no one knows where the painting is. It has disappeared. Salvator Mundi was going to be displayed in the Louvre Abu Dhabi as a big promotional. France saw it as a strong cultural statement of their importance, and they had major money in it. But rumor has it the auction bidder was actually a secret agent of the crown prince Mohammed bin Salman - the controversial heir to the Saudi throne – yes, the same fellow who has been accused of eliminating the journalist Jamal Ahmad Khashoggi at the Saudi Arabian consulate in Istanbul.
If the crown prince is hiding the Salvator Mundi as revenge against Western Civilization, France, the Louvre or even Leonardo, then neither the Louvre in Paris, nor the Louvre Abu Dhabi can show it. Sure, the Tate and the Metropolitan can continue with their smaller shows featuring Leonardo's drawings, but the BBC will no doubt struggle with whether or not they should coordinate a special presentation about Leonardo’s technique and his use of Oil of Spike Lavender when the painting doesn’t even exist, or at least no one can find it, and it has not been seen since 2017. Assuming the prince does have Salvator Mundi secretly hidden somewhere – does the BBC want to do a special broadcast on a painting owned by the same person who eliminated a Washington Post journalist because of his political views?
The name of the painting is Salvator Mundi, which literally means “Saviour of the World.” Sounds like what we need right now, at least in the Art World.
As usual, another educational session. Even though my mother did a lot of oil painting, i don't remember using the multiple layers for light shading.
Also interesting on the hunt for the lost painting, that will never be seen again.
while looking at the two versions you put into his article, at first it looked low def vs. high def.
Thanks for sharing
Have a blessed day
Randy
Interesting. Reading this brought The Agony & Ecstasy to mind.