User blog comment:99998888833344/New Da Vinci Painting Revealed -- The Real Truth?/@comment-92.21.98.21-20110730195618

The orb is a common symbol of royalty in Europe, symbolizing dominion over the earth - as the subject is Jesus, this would be very appropriate. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Globus_cruciger The only odd thing is the lack of the cross on the top, but the final image does show a cross. Shame, but images of Jesus holding one of these things are pretty common.