Earlier this month (June 2018) Italian scholars claim they have unearthed the first known piece by Renaissance genius Leonardo Da Vinci.  The piece which has been named  “The Archangel Gabriel,” a painted glazed tile, was signed and dated by an artist believed to be the 18-year-old Da Vinci.

The scholar’s claim is based on a signature and date painted in the angel’s jaw line, barely visible to the naked eye. It reads “Da Vinci Leonardo,” with the apparent date of authorship; “1471.”  Earlier this month, after three years of scientific and artistic investigations, Professor Ernesto Solari, an art historian and expert on the works of Da Vinci, along with Ivana Rosa Bonfantino, a handwriting expert, announced that this could be the first known work produced by Da Vinci.

As reported by CNN, the glazed tile was found by the descendants of the aristocratic Fenice family of Ravello, Italy. It is believed that the family did not know the origins of the piece or that it was even a Da Vinci, but, they realized it was something that shone a bit brighter than the other things they found when cleaning out the house, and that is when they called the experts to verify and find out who the artist might have been.

Bonfantino who has examined many historical handwriting samples, analyzed a number of Leonardo’s work, noting that his penmanship evolved from his youth, but claimed that the “match was very close” between different examples and the one found on the tile.

The scholars find this finding very exciting as they now have a glimpse into the work that Da Vinci did as a young man. It is thanks to the descendants of the family that found the artistic piece that the scholars can now attribute the work to Da Vinci.

“My hope is that it remains in Italy — it is part of our national heritage,” said Professor Solari, according to CNN.