Art experts are pretty sure that a recently-discovered red chalk drawing of Jesus Christ is the work of Leonardo da Vinci.
According to The Telegraph, the drawing has been in a private collection for centuries.
“It is a remarkably beautiful and refined work and I’m absolutely convinced it is a sketch by Leonardo,” Annalisa Di Maria, an Italian art historian who has studied the picture, told The Telegraph.
The paper used for the drawing has been analyzed and it dates back to the 16th century. Da Vinci died in 1519, so the paper is from the right era.
“The rendering of the beard is practically identical to Leonardo’s self-portraits, as are the eyes. And the painting is in red chalk, which the artist used a lot, including in the sketches for The Last Supper.”
It's unclear what family has been in possession of the drawing for the last 500 years.
Image courtesy Getty