New Michelangelos or Old Fantasies? Art Historians Push Back on Rapid Attributions

Brussels collectors’ claims that a canvas Pietà and a Rome bust are by Michelangelo sparked a high-stakes debate: a Belgian report cites technical tests and monograms as evidence, but leading Renaissance experts remain skeptical, noting the lack of provenance and that such attributions develop slowly over decades rather than days. The piece uses a “Dan Brown” quip to underline how sensational discoveries in art history can mislead when not supported by widespread scholarly consensus.