Doubts have surfaced regarding the authenticity of the of the Italian painting that made headlines after a 12-year-old boy accidentally punched a hole in it while it was on loan in an exhibition in Taipei.
According to organizers, "Flowers" is a painting by Italian artist Paolo Porpora that dates back to the 1600s.
However, according to a report by Taiwan's Apple Daily, the painting looks identical to an artwork entitled "Composizione con vaso di fiori," a 17th-century piece by Mario Nuzzi.
The Nuzzi painting was listed in the 2012 catalogue of the Della Rocca Casa d'Aste auction house, with a guide price of 25,000 to 30,000 euros ($28,700-$34,000). The work was not sold.
Head of TST Art of Discovery Co. David Sun insisted that the two were different paintings, without giving a detailed explanation. TST Art of Discovery Co. is the sponsor of "The Face of Leonardo, Images of a Genius at the Huashan 1914 Creative Park," the exhibition where the painting is displayed.
Both media and art experts have expressed doubts about is defense.
"From a professional's perspective, if the paintings are so old and expensive, they should not have been exposed to an environment without constant temperature and humidity," said Sean Hu, curator of Taiper-based Hu's Art Company.
"There are too many questions about it. No one knows if the paintings are genuine or fake," Hu added.
Video footage from the security camera shows the boy tripping over a platform and extending his arms to regain balance, only to punch a hole in the painting.
The 200-centimeter painting was restored on site and was back on display within 12 hours of the incident.
The organizers opted to ask the insurers of the exhibition to pay for the cost of restoration and compensate the owner, rather than asking the boy's parents to shoulder the costs.
According to the exhibition's website, a self-portrait by Leonardo da Vinci worth 200 million euros is also part of the exhibition.