Salvator Resurrected: An Investigation and Recreation of the Painting.
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- Опубліковано 1 сер 2024
- A thorough examination of all things Salvator Mundi, including the arguments for and against authenticity, with their rebuttals, and showcasing my digital recreation of the painting. Is it by Leonardo da Vinci? Who else could have painted it? What is the simple secret the experts know but hide from the public? Does the restoration go too far? What would the painting really have looked like?
If you've seen my first or second Salvator Mundi video, this one is not a continuation, but an all-encompassing, stand alone version. There's overlap in what I cover, but its all new content (except transitions). Use the time stamp to navigate as desired.
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----------- Contents of Video -----------
0:00 - Introduction
2:58 - Purely Visual Issues
9:53 - Arguments For Authenticity
41:20 - Arguments Against Authenticity
1:17:27 - My Version: Cleaned Before Painted Over
1:34:40 - The Elephant In The Room
1:58:48 - The Emperor’s New Canvas
2:05:44 - My Re-creation
2:13:56 - Backlash
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Royalty Free Songs from freemusicarchive.org/ used in the video include:
1. Dr. Phibes and The Ten Plagues of Egypt: Carl Orf, “Veris leta facies” [creativecommons.org/licenses/...]
2. MIT Concert Choir: Carl Orf, “Veris leta facies” [license: creativecommons.org/licenses/...]
3. Dee Yan-Key: Allegro animato [license: creativecommons.org/licenses/...]
4. The Tudor Consort: Agnus Dei I [license: creativecommons.org/licenses/...]
5. The Tudor Consort: Agnus Dei II [license: creativecommons.org/licenses/...]
6. Les Petits Chanteurs de Montigny: Ave Maria (Sylvain Zimmer) [license: creativecommons.org/licenses/...]
7. Les Petits Chanteurs de Montigny: Cantate Domino (G.O. Pitoni) [license: creativecommons.org/licenses/...]
All other songs from the UA-cam audio library
------------ Contents of Video ------------
0:00 - Introduction
2:58 - Purely Visual Issues
9:53 - Arguments For Authenticity
41:20 - Arguments Against Authenticity
1:17:27 - My Version: Cleaned Before Painted Over
1:34:40 - The Elephant In The Room
1:58:48 - The Emperor’s New Canvas
2:05:44 - My Re-creation
2:13:56 - Backlash
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This video ought be an NFT.
Your objectivity with which you treat the analysis of this work by Leonardo da Vinci is very rationalist, it is impossible for it to fit within the pictorial realism of the Salvator Mundi, because this work is one of the first that has a treatment of the figure of a face that is truly human. I mean, that the face of Christ is treated from a living, expressive and real result of what a true human face usually is in real life, and No, from the symmetrical and rational artificiality of painting proposing anatomical metric rules. I suggest that you look in a mirror every six hours, and you will see how your face changes during those periods of time. Okay?
Never been 100% convinced it is a Leonardo but it certainly looked a hell of a lot more believable before than it did after the "restoration." It's revealing that the chief question they seemed to ask was "How can it be restored?" instead of "Should it be restored?" I think the actual question they were asking was basically "How can we make this look more like what people expect a Leonardo to look like?"
Me neither. Nothing seems right about this painting. Some of the odd things I never saw when looking at the painting, but most of them I realized immediately.
What I'm asking is what do people expect a pile of dog shit to look like?
Isn’t it widely accepted at this stage that this is not authentic. Some forger out there is laughing his/her arse off to this day …
Never mind the painting (which i am fascinated by), this investigation and analysis is the best I’ve seen, and I applaud your skills at creating a top notch video. Now all I need is a collab with Julian for the ultimate resolution and satisfaction.
Agree 👍
If Modestini used the kinds of reversible materials and techniques Julian has shown us, hopefully this can be properly restoresd!
I actually love the clean version as it is, flaws and all. I think the flaws from natural damage are easier to look at than the flaws of the restoration. Our imagination can fill in the gaps and enjoy the honest details instead of squinting at a blended blur of what the image could have been.
There could also have been a much more limited restoration that didn't attempt to make it look like a finished painting. That, I believe, was for marketing purposes.
I think the cleaned version was utterly profund, whoever the original artist was. The "restored" version looks like something from a 1970s Christmas card
1970's Christmas card is kind of a refreshing idea in 2023. But, yeah, it ain't in it with a real Renaissance masterpiece.
You are right it is a Modestini. Thanks for uncovering the original masculine face and drawing attention to its fine modelling. Also for proving that its eyes were level and its proportions symmetrical. Hope some day they remove Modestini's overpainting and exhibit the cleaned fragments again. Like most of ancient Greek art exists as fragments of genius.
The analysis is convincing, the editing is fun, the final restoration is compelling. First time seeing your videos. Instant subscribe.
Cheers! Thanks for watching and commenting.
After learning so much more about the painting, it’s honestly insane to believe these art “experts” and connoisseurs/buyers thought it would make most sense to do the restoration instead of leaving the cleaned painting in it’s raw state. Hearing them say that they thought the viewer would focus more on the obstruction than the work that remained is not only an insult to Leonardo and his disciples, but to the viewer as well. Maybe to an untrained eye like mine, the first glance and impression would be directed toward the damage and repairs of the piece, but if anything that would beg the viewer to spend more time looking at the image, allowing them to have a more immersed experience for the work that did remain. The people and businesses who are supposed to know the most and care most about masterpieces or any great art to preserve them in history, are doing way more damage than I would’ve ever imagined.
I really appreciate you for the time and effort spent on this. It’s been incredible to watch. One question for you: I know nothing about art restoration and although I agree with you and prefer the raw cleaned work, do you think it would be possible for someone in the real world to come anywhere close to your digital interpretation in restoration form? Thanks again man!
I would never dream of spending over 2 hours watching anything without losing interest easily. This masterpiece has absolutely gripped me. Exceptional work!
Seconded!
Not an art person, and stumbled across this topic by accident seeing a trailer for 'The Lost Leonardo'. Literally today. I immediately felt there was something strange about this painting.
After looking into how this was authenticated I found this video and just finished watching it. Amazing video, and absolutely criminally under-rated.
Fantastic job, and thanks for putting all of this together into one place.
Agree. Underrated creator
It's all bull s#it was one of many different paintings found in different ways to make easy to believe and not to question the items real owner and the incredible story that we are having to keep quite due to the sensitive information that will be easy linked to high profile criminal behaviour and cover story's that are so high profile people who are involved in releasing the information will definitely be silently disposed of to insurerr there secrets and lies never become known so I can never say anything to much but it is so easy to understand once you have been told and seen the evidence of the items reel story that was in a uk home as well as several other paintings and belongings but this is all made up but it is a genuine and very unique piece that his lady help mostly painted and is a fact I was given the information past down to the family and relatives given the youth of their family in the 80s as a boy and he has told me about it and I have seen the evidence that he has told me never to admit it but they will release it one day soon or some one will pay the silent sum
Since 2017, I had this obsession with this piece. I think about it every once in a while and search up UA-cam videos or try to see if there are any updates on its whereabouts, new documentaries, etc. My mind changes constantly over whether or not it is, in fact, a Leonardo. Some days I think OBVIOUSLY HIM other days I think OBVIOUSLY NOT. I have virtually no opinion at this point in time. It can go either way. AND THAT IS WHY THIS PAINTING IS SO DARN FASCINATING.
Anyway, this documentary is absolutely fantastic. I couldn't stop watching and you highlighted so much of what I have been thinking personally, but actually put the factual *chef's kiss* touch. I think Dianne Modestini was given the task to fix a painting in terrible shape, clearly, but she overdid it. And seeing the original cleaned version here over and over, wow. I never realized how much work she actually did. This was far beyond a few touch-ups. I really wish they would have left the cleaned version as-is. When I see that, I think, wow. That must be a Leonardo.
I think there should have been many more eyes, artists, experts in that room, but also, I don't think they realized what they had when they began "restoring". So many of the flaws I saw that led me to believe it couldn't be Leonardo seem to be restoration. (I always hated his eyes and thought them to be uneven, his cheeks and lack of definition in the neck bother the heck out of me, and that left side with the curls just doesn't look like Leonardo. Right side, however, does, IMO. John the Baptist all the way.) I mean, there are still some oddities that choose me to question, but this is all such a complicated piece. If there wasn't so much money involved, I think we could have those honest discussions. But I just don't trust anyone when it comes to those high levels of $$$$$. I wish more people would be open to talking and having discussions about the findings you published here. Sorry for the rambling comment, but this was just fantastic. Thank you so much for creating this and your own masterpiece! Inspired!
I found this quite interesting and watched it once in the same morning. Thanks for all your work. I loved seeing the cleaned painting even with all its losses. Your new creation is also a revelation.
Thank you very much! Impressed you got through the whole thing in one sitting!
With a passing knowledge of Da Vinci's techniques and all the hidden geometry that provides the foundation many of the classic masters, this piece brings it all home. What better way to literally illustrate the amazing methods of a master than to show it done wrong. I feel a lot more savvy about this topic having viewed this. Additional kudos to the producer of this wonderful clip for the digital restoration..... a bittersweet result. Why the hell couldn't they have just left it alone. The restoration advocates will be justly ridiculed in the future. It's like finding Edgar Allan Poe's first 5 pages of a short story and commissioning Stephen King to finish it. A horrible blight on the art world.
Thanks for the comments and for watching the video. Glad you got something out of it. And, I like your literary analogy with Poe and King, though even that might be a bit generous. Have a good one!
Very rarely do I find a documentary as authentic as this on the net. And entertaining too. Even with ADHD I watched it to the end! The aftertaste is bitter, but that's what you get with authenticity in a world that's governed by frauds. In Leonardo's days it wasn't any different, probably. Thanks for letting us watch all for free!
Agree. I'm very impressed by this creator
I agree! Listened to this fascinating learning while weeding in the garden. (ADHD, mind you). 😊
I'm always grateful for the smallest gem. This film is one of them. Thank You UA-cam, again!
I feel like Baumgartner Restorations wouldn't have fucked up like this restorer did. Dude knows how to reattach a panel and use as little fill in medium as possible.
Totally agree, the man is a superb craftsman.
This was fascinating, fun and I loved every minute! Bravo!
Awesome! Thank you!
An absolutely astounding documentary. I am an art historian and yet somehow have never seen a photo of the raw cleaned painting. I almost gasped out loud at its beauty. I watched and listened carefully to everything you said, argued and presented and can whole-heartedly concur except for one thing...I do believe most of that extraordinary face in the raw cleaned version is by the Master. I do believe your version is a truer restoration than that which was 'produced', and for which I shall never be able to look at again. Bravo! What incredible work your have done. Thank you.
Cheers. Thanks so much for watching and commenting. Right, the raw, cleaned version is powerful and sublime. So glad another person can see how ridiculous the final result is that we are supposed to respect as Leonardo's most experimental and advanced accomplishment!
baumgartner would've doen a better job of this restoration.
I'd like to ask him!😊
Why don't you think he does a good job? Serious question. I don't know anything about restoration, but if had a painting in bad condition I would be happy to give it to him. He seems to do a really good job. Is he no good?
I love that baumgartners invade every other restoration video out there
baumgartner is a hack and considered a bad source of information in the conservation world
💯
I think this is a FANTASTIC and BRILLIANT documentary/video that blows the so-called experts right out of their exclusive pond!!!! The evidence, the step by step discussion of arguments, of your extensive recreation work, just very impressive and professional.
I am not a classically educated artist, or critic, however this painting screamed obscenities at me the first time I saw it. Thank you for proving I am not crazy.
Thanks! So glad you enjoyed it and appreciated all my little arguments and visual aids. You are not crazy!
Haha, "I've seen a lot of fights, and I've never seen anyone get that messed up." cracked me up!
Your digital recreation from an artist's point of view is a great contrast to the austere fragment that is the recently restored original. It looks to be more the skilled, unified realization of an artistic endeavor rather than an apologetic, dressed-up admission of failure. I love the way you handled the ornate belts that cross in the middle of the body. In the original, they look awkwardly covered in part due to work added by others. I really agree with your decision to extend the composition's width to provide more space around the right hand.
It was all about laundering some money. She was hung out to dry. She was chosen on purpose. There were many better choices for restoration. I love your rendering.
Damn, that is a cynical take, but considering the world we live in I guess it's just realistic. It never occurred to me that Modestini could be a patsy here. Now it will be hard for me to disregard that theory. Though she could also just be in on it. So glad you like my restoration!
Outstanding examination of the painting ... beautifully and painstakingly done . Bravo
Thank you so much 😀
I much prefer the unrestored version. I enjoy the rawness. It tells more of a wholesome story. It already had so much “life”
You took so much time to produce this, very impressive. I had to avert my eyes during the hunchback abuse, not exactly sure what this and aliens, ants, etc. were all about but you’re allowed your artistic license. I did love the Bush reference and fade in and out. Before watching this, the “restoration” never seemed right to me but I didn’t know why. Now I’m angry that very few spoke up. Your version is amazing.
Thanks for watching and commenting. These days, I've caught people using AI to generate text for videos, using an AI voice, and just slapping in pictures. Those videos get hundreds of times more views than mine, but guess what? AI isn't going to slap Gamera or aliens in the video, so in my case, you know it's human, quirky, creative, authentic, and individual.
Just watched it again! If I ever had to stand up and make the argument against the restorer's version, all I would do is "Flip it"! What a powerful technique, and you, sir, are a fine example of a fine artist. Hats off!
Great analysis indeed! Well informed, nerdy, arty - loved it. Watched them all so far, this is the best. Chapeau!
Much appreciated! Especially appreciate that you've watched more than one of my videos.
Thank you so much for this. I have looked at this image over and over and could not believe that it was a true Leonardo. It makes sense now. Well done.
You're very welcome. And your eye was spot on.
Modestini turned an original into a forgery. I recommend looking closely at the cleaned version on a 60" 4K TV screen. There is definitely a beard. The strong and regal expression isn't from the damage, but exquisite shading under the eye and highlighted cheekbone on the left-hand side of the painting (the figure's right side) where most of the damage is. That side of the face is lighter because the light is coming from that direction. This painting could have been saved with an appropriate conservator's retouching by someone with an artist's eye, who could see the traces left behind and could retouch without changing or covering the image that was still there. I sincerely hope she used an isolation layer and completely reversible arrival materials. None of the rules of conservation seem to have been followed here. Hopefully someone will be able to remove the awful overpainting and do it correctly. I'm shocked at how badly this was done and the ridiculous claims made to cover up the egregious mistakes.
I do think there's a very good chance she made her changes reversible, as that appears to be the contemporary standard practice.
Great video! I can see why this took you so long to put together, it was well worth all the effort that obviously went in to it.
Thanks, Art Review. Was a ton of work. Next video I make is going to be a short one. Though I may be a bit busy working on my own art.
That is incredible how you finished the eyes without altering them. Da Vinci wouldn't finish a painting with "Off set eyes" like the restoration shows. Yet you did it quite easily and it looks right. The conservator/ restoration specialist could not see it after over cleaning the picture. A lot of detail was lost in the process where reconstruction was done by guessing how things looked originally. She may have confused the lines where the eye lid over the pupil was and accepted that as being what Da Vinci wanted to be. There is a fine beard too, now faded away. The question left is, can it be reversed? Something tells me not. Now if the Salvator Mundi was somehow taken back to the original state, I'm people I'm sure would say it's a fake. I learned a lot from your presentation and it was well explained.
Ive been waiting for this....yay!
You're right! From the beginning, the restoration definitely felt "off"...something wasnt quite right. I had mixed feelings and looking at the restored version makes me feel uncomfortable.
Great video! Comprehensive and interesting to the end. Also aesthetically pleasing 😊😀
Absolutely outstanding. How do you not have millions of viewers?!
It's a new channel. Nobody knows about it. Thanks, though. Glad you enjoyed the video.
@@artvsmachine3703 they need to pay you the 450 million dollars. The whole video is 🤌🏻, Theres no doubt, Da Vince himself would be proud of all your hard work and dedication to bring clarification to this Painting and his Legacy.
Because you are not allowed to challenge the status ....just like they try to convince you that modern art of a urinal is good art. Like Klaus's Schaub says you will own nothing and be happy. THE ELITES WILL ESTABLISH YOUR REALITY
Very interesting and unexpectedly very funny. Great presentation and humor!
That flip at the end really closed the case. Fantastic presentation. Thank you for sharing this video.
Your restoration is soooo beautiful, the colours, contrast and simply everything about it feels alot better!!Well done!!
Oh, thanks, man. Glad you dig my version.
Great work you’ve done here sir, and I’d argue a great service to the art community ( not to be mistaken with the Art World ). I wonder what Loomis would have made of the facial structure. This certainly deserves to be seen , best thing I’ve seen since Tim’s Vermeer. I also found it hilarious in places.
Thanks, Nicholas. I'm glad you were able to find it despite UA-cam's algorithm not liking it one bit.
@@artvsmachine3703 I believe it could be due to inclusion of some political content - not much art academia, but more George Bushes photo shapeshifting into Jesus, back and forth.. Just with that, you've accidentally stepped into forbidden waters, and perhaps may be glad this entire video hasn't been blocked or pulled down. Don't forget we live in a dystopian controlled, authoritarian society now. Algorithms are very sensitive to political content.
I just saw this reply a minute ago.
I watched a video earlier today about tge 'restoration'. When I saw the photo of the cleaned painting and then the restoration, my thought is that the painting should be been left alone and not been 'restored'.
I do like your version, or the cleaned one more than what Dianne did to it.... I also think the painting should be send to Baumgartner immediately!! This was fascinating. Thank you and Greetings 👋
You're very welcome! And glad you like my version.
Amazing documentary and a very beautiful recreation you made of the painting! 🤩
Thank you so much 😀
This only popped up in my 'recommends' a couple of hours ago, and what a flipping treat it was. I went on a whole furious/livid jag of reading about this painting, the claims made for/about it, and its restoration a couple of years ago (you mention at least two of the highly critical articles I read at the time). I felt somewhat sated at the time, and moved onto other things quite quickly so maybe that's why I missed out on your video then.
You do such a great job of articulating everything I felt and said at the time, which was a great deal of highly *inarticulate* effing and blinding, shrieking and wailing mainly about *those horrible eyes* but you've shown me so, so much more, you've actually managed to make me angry all over again.
Your own effort at recreation was so much more in line with what glimpses were visible, and what might have been possible by a ridiculously skilled and sensitive restorer, even one working with such a high volume of damage. That final flip was excellent. What a great tip! It would never have occurred to me to do that!
So glad I was able to make you angry all over again! 😅😆😂
This video was great!! Like the Salvator Mundi... Before restauration.. Subbed!
What a fantastic deep dive into this painting! Your 'cleaned' interpretation visually strikes a far more authentic and less off-kilter impression then the restored interpretation of the Mundi, especially in its placement of the eyes and shape of the jawline.
Out of idle curiosity, I have to admit that a similar retrospective on the 'Isleworth' Mona Lisa would be quite interesting, as that is another "so-acclaimed" Leonardo painting to have similarly left an impression on me, and I have no doubts that your thoughts on it would be quite insightful!
Fabulous! Highly entertaining, highly informative and thorough. Absolutely loved watching this - thank you!
Thanks, so much, Dan. I'm glad it resonates with some people the way I intended.
Watching again....because this documentary is that informative and beautiful with divine notes of levity
Amazing video...
You've certainly done your research, most enjoyable.
Thanks for sharing your knowledge..... 👍
I don't think I've ever seen a better video.
This is terrific! Really well done, fascinating, and has so much food for thought. The only part I had a problem with was toward the end. I couldn't bear to see Charles Laughton as the hunchback of Notre Dame - too heartbreaking, so I missed a lot of what was on the screen. It took me many more hours to get through this because I kept going back and watching parts again. I will go back and rewatch many more times. I hope you produce more excellent documentaries such as this. Thank you so much!
Thanks, man. I'm really pleased when someone watches the whole thing and understands it. Cheers!
@@artvsmachine3703 It took me a few sitting to get through the whole video but really enjoyed it 🙏 I've always wondered what she was paid for the restoration.
I’m shocked they tried to restore it. My guess is they thought it would sell for more so they didn’t care about any consequences. Great documentary BTW
Thanks. Glad to hear you enjoyed my documentary. Also agree with your synopsis of the problem.
Brilliant, I learn so much from you. This is my favorite Chateau show .
Wow. Beautiful work.
Your analysis of the restoration was revelation to me even as a art historian..brilliant and I now agree, plus yes Leonardo had a large studio of assistants.. Auction houses suffer from selective memory loss..
This is a experience, it has techinical comment, opinion and even a new version, I don't know nothing about art(however I love to draw not paint.) and this make me learn so much, I watched like a movie.
Cheers from Brazil!
This was excellently put together! Well done
Thanks, man! Much appreciated.
I didn’t exactly know what it was but the refinished version was very strange and unsettling. I wanted to cover the eyes to keep them from looking at me. Now I know why. The correct symmetry does wonders and Da Vinci would have been extremely symmetrical. Your version seems much more Da Vinci like than the current version. Great job!!
The fade into the Gojira montages is giving me LIFE!
Ha! I got so much criticism for those wacky touches. Glad a few people appreciate it.
Brilliant documentary, thoroughly enjoyed it and your version of the painting is far more superior! Congrats! Great to see this kind of quality and effort online by independent artists.
Cheers. Much appreciated. Can't believe you powered through the whole thing. Thanks for watching.
@@artvsmachine3703 It's a pleasure, looking forward to watching your other material. Perhaps one day they will show this in art schools, it would definitely promote critical thinking in students and provoke quite a few chuckles too:))
Interesting, informative, stimulating, and funny too. Superb
The anonymous digital recreation of what this painting likely actually looked like is very beautiful!
Thanks. It's not really anonymous though, because it's by me.
I watched this twice because it was so good!
This is better than the Netflix documentary. Fantastic well done. Subscribing now.
Discovering that cropped paintings are indications of fakes and that he used faulty or knotted wood, sold it for me.
Originally, I thought you were simply having fun with your videos when you added in longer bits of sci-fi silliness, but now I've seen enough to realize that they serve as "rest stops for the mind and eyes". Your visuals are pretty amazing and unlike anything else I've seen on YT.
And I know you were probably careful not to show off your own version too much, but I wish you would have because the work you put in was remarkable and detailed! Excellent work!
Not fakes, they indicate more naive copies of an original. Artists often did studies of master works of art. That is why there are so many "Last Suppers". Religious objects were the most copied of all because wealthy families would commission their own copies from artists that they patronized. The Church was the biggest patron of all, needing art for many churches.
So glad I found you. Great content, … so well done
Thanks so much!
This video is a masterpiece. Wish it had more views. Absolutely engaging.
Cheers! Someone or something decided to put it in an algorithmic sandbox.
I could not help but send my previous message before watching the entire video. I felt thoroughly vindicated for my initial reaction when the 'last Da Vinci' was first presented to the world. I just thought' this is so wrong technically that it cannot be an actual work by the master'. Eric, your in detail examination ( of what should be obvious to many people who have the expertise of being able to see), based on an honest and expansive net of cross references, was conducted better than much of old and/or recent art historical research by so called experts. As both an Art Historian and artist who has studied for almost 20 years (including at the top factory of art dealers and gallerists, a.k.a. the Courtauld Institute of Art), I am not finding it surprising that 'experts' work hand in hand with the art market establishment or that 'academia' has survived by milking donors through flattery and re-assurance of their delusions of grandeur. It is just so insulting to master Leonardo that they passed this collage of mistakes as his last autograph work. He, however, would rather be amused.
This was gold! Also so funny, more laughs than most new comedy movies. Thanks for doing it.
On a related note I can't believe that the official Louvre publication on the painting that was actually on sale for like one day before being pulled, and was quoted by some journalists, never leaked. If you're reading this comment and you own it....please do the right thing ;)
Glad you enjoyed it! Most don't even see the humor. Much appreciated.
How about making a print available of the work after removal and before fill in- with all the "damage" as contributary to the pre-restoration opportunity?
This video slaps beyond belief. I so appreciate how thorough and logical it is. This must have been an insane amount of work. But I think you are spot-on. I lost track of how many times I said "Yes!" out loud. It's difficult to believe that so-called experts would seem to not consider so many of these basic things you pointed out. Like, it's mind-boggling! Once you see the things that are wrong with the restoration, they're just so obvious and yikes-inducing.
I didn't come away from this with any strong opinion on whether it's a Leonardo, to whatever degree. That is possibly what's of interest to a lot of people, but it wound up not mattering to me. What matters to me is attributing THAT FACE to Leonardo. So I enjoyed your articulation of what's wrong with it and how it got that way. No matter who painted them, I've always hated this painting's awful wall eyes. When you flipped the painting I almost screamed. It's SO BAD. Those eyes are the wonkiest thing I've ever seen. What on earth happened.
I didn't realize to what extent the restoration had changed and exaggerated its expression so much. Sorry to the restorer -- I do believe she took on an impossible task -- but it's astonishingly bad and I don't know how anyone could think it's acceptable or beautiful work. The cleaned up version, even with all its cracks and missing paint and damage, is so much nicer. I hadn't seen it in its non-restored state before, and was shocked. I'd rather see that version displayed, but maybe with the cracks and missing paint filled in with black, so they're not as bright, or something...
Your editing style is quite unusual but it was entertaining, modern and fun for a subject that can be stodgy. Absolutely savage dramatic readings, too. In all, I loved this video. Thank you for making it.
Thanks for that comment. I think you got my best points, including that it's a travesty of art history, logic, aesthetics, and reality in general to attribute the restored face to Leonardo (and on top of it claim it's his most exalted achievement).
Yeah, it was a ton of work. As for my video-editing style here, well, I like to experiment a bit and can't help getting a bit weird and creative with it, and also throwing in some humor. If I can't make it my own, what's the point?
So glad you appreciated my video, and thanks for watching and sharing your impressions.
Fantastic video. Thanks very much
Cheers. It is always great to hear a positive response.
Good news everyone! They also found the ship of Theseus and are selling it at Christies, next.
Thank you SO MUCH! Kudos for your hard work! Made a believer out of me!❤
You're so welcome!
Fascinating documentary! The flip at the end is incredibly jarring and pretty saddening. Would love if Julian Baumgartner got the chance to strip the overpainting back and provide a more sympathetic restoration
I'm glad you appreciated the flip. It really allows people to see the problems with their own eyes without having to think about it or know all the background information.
That was really interesting. This piece would be very upsetting to a Saudi billionaire. I didn't mind the unrestored work. Sure, you will clock the damage initially, but ultimately you look beyond it and still see the painting. The ruination suggests a story and journey of half a millennia and what can happen to a masterpiece that isn't cradled in the womb of a museum. They should've left it alone and said "Here's what remains."
"They should've left it alone and said "Here's what remains."" I agree. Thanks for the comment. And yeah, I guess a Saudi prince might not appreciate what this means about the monetary value of his acquisition, but sometimes people like when you tell them the truth. At least he wouldn't still be hoodwinked, if he hasn't already figured it out a long time ago. And, of course, that's just my perspective, though I think a rather strongly argued and persuasive one. Thanks for watching and commenting.
+1
As an artist myself I have often used the mirror flip technique. We all have a distortion bias that is made obvious when flipped.
Right. And I gather the restorer didn't do that for some reason. Perhaps she put faith in the minute changes she methodically made and didn't [want to] check for a subtle but profound unintended transformation of the painted image.
Thank you for your hard working!
My pleasure!
Very good video! Best wishes.
Your fixed cleaned version was great. But I think you want a bit too far with your final. Still, amazing job!
That was most enjoyable. Thank you:)
Glad you enjoyed it!
watching this for a second time. man, i just jive with your sense of humor. spot on. lol. shit's hilarious. great editing.
You rock!
Brilliant presentation! I especially liked the part about "Everybody wants a barbecue!". Even if you don't agree about the message you nevertheless have to love this video!
wonderful video! I've learned a lot! thank you
I really love your cleaned up version before painted over! is that print for sale too?
Excellent production , so well argued and loved the atmosphere - compelling We had a Verrocchio David Status at my school and he was a phenomenal sculptor although I doubt he put down his brushes after seeing Leo's angels although its a great anecdote - but I think everything was excellently proved with great critical thanking
I'm going to side with your sense of reality on this. Yes, I also doubt Verrocchio gave up painting after seeing Leonardo's work. Good call. Glad you enjoyed the video. Thanks so much for watching and commenting.
Bro. You need way more views. You do good content. Not over the top music and hype.
Great quality videos
Thanks for this. Fascinating documentary. I think that your 'cleaned version" at 1:26:50 is probably what any restoration should have aimed for. I agree that the present restoration is a total mess. Some minimal restoration was probably needed due to the white showing and visually drawing the eye to the areas of paint loss and damage. I think this is a magnificent painting, whether or not it is by Leonardo.
I'd like to propose a (digital) version of The Salvator Mundi with all non-Da Vinci brushstrokes removed. Probably only then can we truly enjoy and appreciate Da Vinci's genius
Arrived here by way of WP. Began watching, realized I knew nothing at all about this painting (except the meaning of the title). So I did a Wikipedia run & discovered that the person isn't a slim woman with a beard & ancient soul-patch, which is what I assumed in prior encounters. Will watch in segments so that I have time to research & digest in between. This is SO COOL. ::applause::
Wonderful content. Thank you for this.
Glad you enjoyed it!
Here to echo my fellow commenters on what a fascinating and amusing documentary you made. Can't believe the scant amount of views given your deft hand on the subject matter.
Thank you for your insightful documentary, where your humour created a charismatic understanding of the whole. Indeed, the picture you created is, in my opinion, closer to Leonardo's original than the corrected version. Perhaps it is better that that version disappeared somewhere, presumably in a Middle Eastern locker forever...
Great stuff. Thank you very much.
Glad you enjoyed it!
This film/production is brilliant ,funny ,
hysterically ,so…,I enjoyed this …
Thanks so much. Most comments are just about whether or not people agree with my arguments, or else they just came to express their own foregone conclusions without even watching the video. I love it when someone appreciates the video itself, even independently of the specific arguments.
Your website brought me here great work subbed !
And 700 years from now, the restored Mt Rushmore will depict The Beatles.
Good one. Also, turns out the Venus de Milo accurately depicts a double amputee of the time, so they tell me.
amazing documentary
It would be interesting to see you do the opposite digital treatment to the Mona Lisa to see what it might look like if it was "abraded" then "retouched"...how would the empress's new clothes appear!
Thank u for shareing mate ...
Amazing production you've put into this. Glad the algorithm brought me here. What an absolute joke they played with this painting. Or should I say scam, fraud, destruction. The fact that it was bought with Oil money instead of 400 Mclarens is fitting.
Yeah. I was warned not to share this video because I might piss off the buyer with the oil money, who, they tell me is a very dangerous fellow. However, I'm just the messenger. Should have bought the 400 Mclarens instead.
Captivating! 👍
Finally! THANK YOU
The Painting was "Leonardized"
Brilliant Docu thank you
WAIT A MINUTE! Where can we get your clean version? That was my favorite
I never intended to sell that one because, well, it never occured to me because I'd only added to an image of the original. In the case of my version(s) I redid everything to such an extent that I can call it my own and market it with a clean conscious.