Cracking a Real-Life Da Vinci Code

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The doubts are likely to persist until the outer mural is temporarily removed and the wall behind it is finally opened--if it ever is. For now, Seracini is trying at least to show that Leonardo's mural is likely to be there. To accomplish that, he's using an instrument he developed in collaboration with the University of California at San Diego and Emory University to capture chemical clues of any paint colors that may be present behind the wall. There's a good chance that Culture Minister Francesco Rutelli will grant Seracini permission in the next year or two to peel back the Vasari mural, which won't have to be damaged in the process. A great work might be found, but a great mystery would be gone.