Right or left hand: is this the real problem of Pontormo's Halberdier?

Abstract

We the authors (G. M. Weisz, W. R. Albury, Donatella Lippi, and Marco Matucci-Cerinic) are grateful to Gino Fornaciari for his letter commenting on our study "Who was Pontormo's Halberdier? The evidence from pathology". Science can only progress when the findings of one research group are subject to independent review by other scholars with relevant expertise. If the criticisms raised in this way are well-founded, then errors are corrected. On the other hand, if the criticisms are shown to be without foundation, then the credibility of the original findings is strengthened, since they have withstood a critical challenge. In the present instance, we believe that the second alternative applies: all the criticisms of our article can be satisfactorily answered and Fornaciari's call for a reconsideration of our findings is therefore unwarranted.