'It has nothing to do with Michelangelo': expert wades in on painting newly attributed to Renaissance master

"This painting, in terms of artistic style, has nothing to do with Michelangelo. The art historian David Ekserdjian, an emeritus professor at the University of Leicester, UK-and a leading authority on the Italian Renaissance with particular focus on Correggio, Parmigianino and Michelangelo-tells The Art Newspaper this assessment of the controversial work."

"Technical analysis by the Royal Institute for Cultural Heritage of Belgium confirms the palette and linen of the painting date back to the 16th century. It shows the monograms were painted before craquelure (dense cracking) formed on the painted surface and also confirms the presence of period-appropriate materials."

"As long-term philanthropists, they are convinced this is a Michelangelo and should therefore be in a public collection. The collectors are not currently seeking to sell the painting, but to place it on loan with a museum in order to further art historical study and discussion."

Michel Draguet published a 600-page report identifying a painting titled Spirituali Pietà as a work by Michelangelo from the 1540s. The painting was purchased in 2024 by two anonymous Belgian collectors from an auction house that had previously catalogued it as an anonymous 16th-17th century work. Technical analysis confirms the materials and monograms date to the 16th century. However, prominent Renaissance scholar David Ekserdjian and other unnamed experts have expressed skepticism, stating the artistic style shows no connection to Michelangelo. The collectors, who previously worked with Draguet during his tenure as director of the Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium, commissioned him to authenticate the work after discovering monograms resembling Michelangelo's signature.

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