A significant Renaissance artwork, initially believed to be a mere 19th-century copy, has been identified as a contemporary reproduction of Sandro Botticelli’s renowned masterpiece. This newly recognized piece will be displayed alongside the original in a chateau located in the Loire Valley.
The original painting, titled “Virgin Mary, Infant Christ, and the Young St. John the Baptist,” is currently showcased in the chapel of the Château de Chambord.
About a decade ago, Matteo Gianeselli, a curator at the National Renaissance Museum near Paris, discovered the painting while conducting an inventory of Italian art in public buildings across France. Gianeselli initially came across the piece in the Saint-Félix church in Champigny-en-Beauce, where it was dismissed as worthless. However, he suspected that it might have been created in the 16th century by Botticelli’s workshop.
Subsequent extensive testing by the Centre for Research and Restoration of the Museums of France confirmed his suspicions, validating the painting’s significance.
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