Look, Cyrus, I don't know what to say. I won't apologize for your own high expectations. I've had the picture authenticated by at least three discreet experts. Its provenance was traced back to the Grand Palace. The brushstrokes, color palette, and quality of the materials are consistent with his other works. Even the sample of paint you provided includes traces of white leaf tobacco. All of this points to the portrait in your possession being the original work of Duke Luca Abele.
Yes, there are a handful paintings on the market, apparently by the Duke as well, that are technically proficient. This isn’t one of them.
We've been friends for years. How many works of art have we bought and sold together? That you would question my judgement over this is, frankly, ridiculous. Don't blame your buyer's remorse on me.
Yours,
-Mafalda