Man sues Sotheby's over Caravaggio controversy

An art collector is suing the famed auction house Sotheby's, claiming their experts failed to recognize his painting they sold was a Caravaggio masterpiece worth tens of millions before selling it for tens of thousands.

Lancelot Thwaytes says Sotheby's misattributed this copy of "The Cardsharps" to an imitator of Caravaggio, rather than Caravaggio himself. Now he wants to be compensated.

Thwaytes sold the controversial painting through the notable auction house back in 2006 to British collector Sir Denis Mahon for nearly $70,000. But then Mahon declared the work an earlier version by Caravaggio, saying it was worth greater than $16 million, more than 200 times its selling price.

Now, three years after Mahon's death, Thwaytes is claiming Sotheby's did not consult widely enough with experts, and he's been cheated much like the subject in the late 16th century painting.

Sotheby's is fiercely contesting these claims saying, "The [original] Cardsharps was painted by Caravaggio with the striking virtuosity and realism for which his early works are famous. The quality of execution on display in the painting [in question] falls far short of the original."

They added none of the people who've backed the controversial painting's authenticity were Caravaggio experts, including Mahon.

Caravaggio paintings are extremely valuable and incredibly rare as the artist died at just 38 years old in 1610. Only fifty or so paintings are known to exist.

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