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Against the Rules · April 23, 2019 · 45m

The Hand of Leonardo

Michael Lewis

Lewis investigates the Salvator Mundi painting, sold for $450M as a Leonardo da Vinci original. But was it really painted by Leonardo? The story reveals how art authentication experts — the referees of the art world — can be compromised.

Canon

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Falsehood spreads faster when prestigious institutions endorse it
Lewis shows how the National Gallery's decision to display the Salvator Mundi as a Leonardo gave the attribution institutional credibility that was nearly impossible to challenge, even after doubts emerged.
ClaudeChatGPTGemini

Highlights

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When the referee has a financial interest in the outcome, the game is rigged
Lewis reveals that art authenticators have financial relationships with dealers and auction houses. The people who determine if a painting is 'real' profit from it being declared real.
ClaudeChatGPTGemini