For five centuries, a painting of a noblewoman by Leonardo da Vinci was “lost” to the world. That was until the priceless piece was unearthed in an Italian family’s Swiss bank vault.

An expert in da Vinci’s work, Professor Carlo Pedretti from the University of California, says there are “no doubts that the portrait is the work of Leonardo. I can immediately recognise Da Vinci’s handiwork, particularly in the woman’s face.”

She does have a hint of that classic Mona Lisa smile.

The painting closely resembles a sketch done by Leonardo in 1499 of Isabella d’Este, which is currently hanging in the Louvre Museum in Paris.

Carbon dating conducted on the painting confirms that the piece was created somewhere between 1460 and 1650, placing the artwork firmly within the time frame in which the artist is believed to have first met and sketched the aristocrat, who was one of the most influential woman of her time.

Further tests will make clear whether some of the lady’s accessories, including the gold crown, could have been painted by some of da Vinci’s assistants.

[Source : The Guardian, ABC, DailyMail, Daily News]