“Christ Among The Doctors”, a Painting Study (c.1472-95 or c.1500-05) by Leonardo da Vinci.

Since 1994, Jeffrey A. Dering has been part of a team involved with “Christ Among The Doctors”, a Painting Study (c.1472-95 or c.1500-05), by Leonardo da Vinci, providing expertise in management of the authentication process, conservation, security, transport, insurance, publication, exhibition, marketplace analysis, fair market valuation and marketing.

Experts have agreed Leonardo painted the adolescent figure of Christ, then added four “Doctors” (“Rabbis”), but, in a less detailed manner. It is possible Leonardo’s students assisted in rendering the doctors.

Some experts believe Leonardo was responsible for painting the more mature variation of Jesus using “over glazing,” disguising features of the original youthful Christ figure.

Historical research indicates Christ Among The Doctors (c.1472-95 or c.1500-05) by Leonardo, not only pre-dates variations by Giovanni Battista Cima da Conegliano (c.1504-05), Albrecht Durer (1506), and Bernardino Luini (c.1515-30), but, scientific analysis by Dr. Walter C. McCrone, Ph.D., McCrone Research Institute indicates the dating and evidence of Walnut Oil Binder support the conclusion that Christ Among The Doctors was painted by Leonardo, and predates subsequent variations by Cima, Durer and Luini.

In addition, the original design composition for Christ Among The Doctors by Leonardo serves as the “father” of this design composition and pre-dates the other design variations.

Continued research will enhance the knowledge and authentication of Christ Among The Doctors, a Painting Study by Leonardo — and its relationship with design variations by Cima, Durer and Luini.

The Mysterious Image of Jesus Beneath the Painting Study of “Christ Among the Doctors” by Leonardo.

Holding ultraviolet light over this painting, amazingly, another image of Jesus emerges from beneath the glazed surface of the Christ figure. It is a youthful Christ figure whose features are more delicate and refined. Details such as the “cupid’s bow mouth”, “eyelids”, “ringlets of hair” and “elongated fingers” are unmistakably typical of da Vinci’s style before he arrived in Milan.

Leonardo & Luini Hang Side-by-Side in London’s National Gallery of Art.

In June of 1996, London’s National Gallery of Art hung Christ Among The Doctors, a Painting Study (c.1472-95 or c.1500-05) by Leonardo side-by-side with the National Gallery’s Christ Among The Doctors (c.1515-30) by Luini. Hosted by Dr. Nicolas Penny, then Curator of Renaissance Paintings (now, Director) of London’s National Gallery, Dering and a team of experts flew to London, to review the scientific analysis of the Leonardo and view a side-by-side comparison between Leonardo’s study and Luini’s painting. Participants in the viewing included:

• Dr. Nicolas Penny, Ph.D., Director, National Gallery of Art, London, UK (former Curator of Renaissance Paintings).
• Dr. Walter C. McCrone, Ph.D. , Forensic Scientist, Director, McCrone Research Institute, Chicago, IL and London, UK.
• Dr. Joseph A. Polizzi, Ph.D. , Italian Renaissance Scholar, Professor Emeritus and Chairman Department of Sociology, St. John Fisher College, NY.
• Jeffrey A. Dering, Principal, Dering Consultants, former Museum Director, National Geographic Society, Washington, D.C.).