Possible Michelangelo possably found behind couch

[Raph's Girl]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/a...hind-sofa.html

A dusty old painting stored behind a family sofa could be a Michelangelo worth up to $300 million (£190 million) and potentially one of the art finds of the century, according to an expert.

The unfinished painting of Jesus and Mary has long been in the family of US Air Force Lieutenant Colonel Martin Kober, who lives in Buffalo, New York.

He and his relatives nicknamed it "The Mike" because of a family legend that it had been painted by the Renaissance artist.

The painting had hung in the Kober home but was knocked off the wall by a stray tennis ball 27 years ago, so it was wrapped it up and put behind the couch.

In 2003 Mr Kober decided to research the origins of the 25in by 19in work and eventually took it to Antonio Forcellino, an Italian art restorer and historian.

Mr Forcellino is convinced it is a genuine, painted depiction of the Pieta, Michelangelo's famous sculpture of the body of Jesus on his mother's lap, which is housed in St Peter's Basilica.

In his book "The Lost Pieta," Mr Forcellino said: "I had assumed it was going to be a copy. In reality this painting was even more beautiful than the versions hanging in Rome and Florence. The truth was this painting was much better than the ones they had."

Mr Forcellino claims that infrared and X-ray examinations showed changes made by the artist and an unfinished area of canvas close to the Madonna's right knee.

He said: "The evidence of unfinished portions demonstrate that this painting never, never, never could be a copy of another painting.

"No patron pays in the Renaissance for an unfinished copy. I'm absolutely convinced that is a Michelangelo painting."

According to Mr Forcellino's investigation, a letter in the Vatican library points to the painting having been done by Michelangelo for his friend Vittoria Colonna in around 1545, nearly half a century after the young artist sculpted the Pieta.

The painting later belonged to a German baroness who left it to a lady-in-waiting, who was the sister-in-law of Mr Kober's great-grandfather. It arrived in America in 1883.

The family have placed it in a bank vault but it will be up to experts to determine whether it is indeed genuine.

Would be cool if it was a lagit Michelangelo. But I dunno. It doesn't look much like his style. But then again it is supposadly unfinished....

[Eiko]

Wow having that behind your sofa for all those years. Would be pretty neat if it was legit finished or not.

[Katie]

To me it does look like a Michelangelo. It's in tondo (round) style, which was a favorite configuration of his.....it's proper subject material......it favors features of the Sistene chapel style and Doni Tondo.......I say legit

[Hannah]

I find it incredibly disturbing that all three have you have tried to say "legit" and only two have succeeded. Such a dumb abbreviation.

[Koi]

"Have" and "legit" are two words that have been abused this this thread.

If it is the actual thing, I am curious if the family will want to keep the painting or sell it.

[Venom]

Following the trend, add "this" to the list of abused words as well.
>__________________>

[BubblyShell22]

If it's the real thing, it'll be up to the family to sell it or keep it. It's probably worth a lot of money if it's the real thing.