Da Vinci studio find thrills art lovers, experts

On the walls, there were paintings that researchers suspect were created by the Renaissance master's own hand.
"For the first time in this case we see birds which are absolutely dynamic, animals which are absolutely vivid, and which remind us of the study done by Leonardo on birds in flight," said art historian Robert Manescalchi.
The bird images are similar to drawings found in the Codex Atlanticus, an atlas-size collection of da Vinci's work.
But one theory is that the fading frescoes were painted by a workshop student about 500 years ago. Art historians and scientists are eager to put their theory to the test -- but some are urging caution.