Art experts who thought that a newly discovered painting of the Martyrdom of St Lawrence was by Caravaggio had their hopes dashed on Monday by the Director of the Vatican Museums, Antonio Paolucci.
Signor Paolucci, in a front-page article for the Vatican newspaper L鈥橭sservatore Romano, pointed to several imperfections in the painting, in particular the fact that the saint鈥檚 hands are out of perspective.
He also said that other figures in the painting were painted 鈥渃lumsily鈥 and that the quality which would have stood out had the painting been by the Master was simply not there. He concluded that the painting is a 鈥渕odest copy鈥 of a lost Caravaggio.
Signor Paolucci was careful not to criticise Lydia Salviucci Insolera, an art historian who, in the same newspaper ten days ago, had caused terrific excitement in the art world by suggesting that the painting might have been by Caravaggio.
She did, however, caution that more analysis of the painting would be needed and also pointed out that St Lawrence was not a known Caravaggio subject..
Now the art world, which had so wanted a 鈥渘ew鈥 Caravaggio for the four -hundredth anniversary of the artist鈥檚 death, has its answer.
The painting was unveiled to the public yesterday.
