In a significant crackdown on art forgery, Spanish police have successfully halted the sale of a counterfeit painting purportedly by Leonardo da Vinci. The work, which had been seized by border authorities in July 2022, was later confirmed to be an early 20th-century forgery by experts at Madrid’s Museo del Prado.

The painting was intercepted at a border post in Modane, France, where it was being smuggled from Spain to Italy. The suspect, a man in his 40s, allegedly intended to sell the forged masterpiece for €1.3 million ($1.4 million). Initial documentation included an export license that described the painting as a portrait of the Italian aristocrat and military commander Gian Giacomo Trivulzio. However, it was soon discovered that the license had expired, raising immediate suspicions.

The expired license was a critical factor that led to the exposure of the forgery scheme. "An export license is not a guarantee of authenticity," a police spokesperson told the Guardian. "In this instance, the license was being used fraudulently to assert the painting's legitimacy. Once it was identified as expired, we confiscated the painting and launched an investigation. The investigation subsequently led to the arrest of the suspect."

The counterfeit painting was presented as a work created by Leonardo da Vinci during his time in Milan under Duke Ludovico Sforza, between 1482 and 1499. However, an in-depth analysis by Prado experts revealed that it was a 20th-century creation, valued at only €3,000 to €5,000 ($3,285 to $5,475).

Historical records suggest that while Leonardo da Vinci did not create a portrait of Trivulzio, the military leader commissioned the artist for a tomb sculpture. The planned monument was intended to be adapted from Leonardo’s design for an equestrian statue of Francesco Sforza, Ludovico's father, but neither project was completed. Leonardo only produced drawings and a clay model related to the commission.

Sayart / Jason Yim, yimjongho1969@gmail.com