J. G. Ballard

“The Lost Leonardo” is a suspense and intrigue story by J. G. Ballard, first published in 1964 in The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction. Leonardo da Vinci’s priceless painting The Crucifixion mysteriously vanishes from the Louvre, shocking both the art world and the general public. The director of the prestigious Northeby auction house travels to Paris to join Georg de Stael in investigating the unusual theft. Together, they plunge into a labyrinth of clues and enigmas that defy logic and test their knowledge of art and history. As they uncover strange connections between masterpieces and ancient mysteries, they realize that this case is far more complex than it first appeared.