A great fan of Martin Kemp’s writing, I had been waiting for this book to come out for months. At last getting my hands on a copy, I could not put it down. Of course, anything on the subject of Leonardo da Vinci is bound to generate interest. Recently, at an exhibition on the Renaissance Nude at the Getty, I noticed a great buzz happening around a very small codex page in the middle of one of the last gallery rooms --and knew it could only have been a Leonardo. Who else has that kind of power to excite people? And, of course, the art world in general has a fascinating attraction for those on the outside. Filled with its scandals, intrigues and skullduggery, like many people, I love art history detective stories and really enjoy art world memoirs. And this one, by Martin Kemp— is unsurpassed. Written in a highly engaging style that blends reason and good humor, Kemp takes us on a journey with him over fifty years as one of the world’s leading experts on Leonardo da Vinci.
The book focuses on his high profile “cases” to work out attributions, hunt down pictures gone missing, or advise on restorations. Interestingly, coming from a background in hard science, Kemp focuses less on issues of connoisseurship and instead recounts the science and analytical side of his work. These details about what goes into making attributions are fascinating. But it was his descriptions of his emotional reactions to paintings that really were the most moving aspect for me about the book. Speaking personally, I don’t consider myself a die-hard Leonardo fan (though my husband sure is), and yet I had my life’s only strong emotional reaction to a work of art in front of— of all pictures, what is one of the world’s biggest icons-become-cliches-- The Last Supper.
In "Looking at Lisa” (Chapter 3) Kemp speaks of how the picture is usually viewed as if underwater; roped off and behind that thick glass in a frame that is more of a box with a built-in alarm and climate control. This is a very different experience from seeing the copy of Lisa in the Prado, where the alarm is merely a motion sensor and so you can tiptoe very close to this Lisa—who is breathing the same air as you are. Very similar to my own experience in from of the Last Supper, Kemp speaks of the presence of this work of art—describing the “alive” quality about this painting. And I agree completely that this is something one also finds undeniably in Velasquez: this difficult to express radiating quality (what Kemp calls her “astonishing vibrancy”). To capture how he feels when he looks at her up close, he offers the this poem by Dante from Paradiso.
The image of her when she starts to smile
Breaks out of words, the mind cannot contain it,
A miracle too rich and strange to hold…
Being involved in such high profile attributions and sales as Salvator Mundi has led Kemp to deconstruct what goes into the art of making attributions. Like science, paradigms are built by consensus among experts using a wide spectrum of evidence types. Kemp divides these into construction and deconstructive. First and foremost is scientific evidence, which is crucial in telling us what a painting is not. If carbon dating concludes that a walnut panel dates from the 17th century then you know the picture in question is NOT a Leonardo. In addition to carbon dating, there is chemical analysis of pigments, and finger printing; as well as x-rays, infrared and UV spectrographs. This kind of science-based evidence goes far in telling you what a painting is not. For example, look at the hands held up in bless. So expressive, graceful --and more, an x-ray inspection revealed that the painter had a "change of heart" and had altered the position of the thumb-- thereby suggesting that this was no copy.
But then after you figure out what a painting isn't, you still need positive proof to tell you what a picture is. And that is done by trying to piece together the provenance of the picture, backed up by stylistic judgements based on connoisseurship.
Ideally, a potential Leonardo would be already known. How? From primary and secondary records. For example, if Leonardo had mentioned having been working on or having completed a Salvator Mundi in his notebooks, than that would create a Holy Grail scenario for a lost Leonardo. Or, if there is 16th century evidence from royal or aristocratic inventories of such a painting, that would also make a strong case.
The descriptions of Leonardo’s unique style and technique are endlessly fascinating for lovers of master paintings.
Finally, a last thought. In a world which can have its seedy and corruptible side, Martin Kemp’s virtuous stance on the making identifications and advising (he never takes money, nor will even travel to see works other than at his own expense!) was a pleasure to read. I read this book along with The Eye,” by Philippe Costamagna. I loved that book as well and highly recommend—though it isn’t as thrilling or engaging, it is also incredibly interesting in its laser-like focus on the practice of art connoisseurship.
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