Portrait likely drawn by Leonardo Da Vinci may mean artist was a matchmaker

ROME -- Born 500 years too early to put her photo on an online dating site, this young woman tried a different matchmaking approach — a portrait by Leonardo Da Vinci.

Experts say a little-known portrait of a young woman, previously attributed to an anonymous German artist, is likely a drawing made by Leonardo. The 13-by-9.4-inch parchment is believed to be a nuptial portrait aimed at attracting a possible groom for the unidentified woman.

The drawing, which could be worth millions if the new attribution is confirmed, was bought in 1998 for $21,850 by a private collector at an auction in New York, said Alessandro Vezzosi, the director of a museum dedicated to the artist in his hometown of Vinci.

"Every element points to Leonardo," said Vezzosi, one of the experts who examined the drawing. "This work looks extraordinary."

Facing left, the woman wears Renaissance garments and the shoulder of her dress is marked by "Vinci knots," a traditional decoration that points to the artist born in the small Tuscan town, Vezzosi said.

Vezzosi said it may also be the first work on parchment attributed to the Renaissance master.

Experts say the technique and style of the portrait indicate it was drawn by a gifted, left-handed artist, just like Leonardo.

"The left hand trait is really impressive for how fluid, secure and precise it is," Vezzosi said.

Vezzosi said several experts have backed the attribution over the last few months. The discovery is based on the analysis of the drawing by a Paris-based lab that already studied another Leonardo masterpiece, the Lady With an Ermine, which was attributed to the artist only in the early 19th century.

Based on its style the portrait has been dated to 1485-1490, placing it at a time when Leonardo (1452-1519) was living in Milan.

However, Vezzosi cautioned that further tests, including carbon-dating, must be carried out.

Carlo Pedretti, director of a center for Leonardo studies at the University of California in Los Angeles, also believes the work is likely Leonardo's.