Leonardo da Vinci on Wikimedia

Few artworks have sparked as much fascination, debate, and global intrigue as Salvator Mundi. Its story is one of loss, rediscovery, heated debates, mystery, and secretiveness.

The Saudi Prince Badr bin Abdullah Al Saud shattered records when he bought Salvator Mundi, a 500-year-old painting thought to be a work of Leonardo da Vinci. The prince bought it at Christie's in New York auction in 2017 on behalf of Abu Dhabi Department of Culture and Tourism for a whopping $450 million. It's the most anyone has ever paid for an artwork at a public auction. The painting depicts Christ as the "Savior of the World" (Salvator Mundi).

The painting was destined to be displayed at the Louvre Abu Dhabi, but since its purchase, it's been hidden from public view. Its public unveiling was planned for 2018 but was indefinitely postponed without an explanation. It was also conspicuously absent from the Louvre's major Leonardo exhibition in 2019. Not even experts at the Louvre Museum know for sure where the painting is being kept, but it's believed to be sitting in a private vault, possibly in Geneva, or on the Saudi royal yacht Serene. 

A lost Leonardo?

Leonardo da Vinci on Wikimedia

Salvator Mundi is believed to have been painted around 1500, possibly commissioned by France's King Louis XII or an Italian noble. It depicts Christ holding a crystal orb in one hand and blessing the viewer with the other. It was recorded in royal collections for centuries, including that of King Charles I of England, and is one of the most copied Leonardo paintings, but by the 1700s, the original disappeared from history, slipping into obscurity for over 200 years.

By the 19th century, it resurfaced but heavily overpainted, damaged, and no longer recognized as a Leonardo. Instead, it was attributed to Giovanni Antonio, one of his students. By the mid-20th century, its condition had deteriorated so badly that it was considered a damaged copy. In 1958, it was sold at an auction for only $60. 

In 2005, a group of art dealers purchased the badly restored painting at an auction in New Orleans for around $10,000. They suspected it might be significant, so they removed the overpainting and sent it for restoration. Details that were characteristic of Leonardo emerged as the layers were peeled away.

By 2011, after extensive analysis and expert debate, the painting was presented at London’s National Gallery as an authentic Leonardo da Vinci. It was the first rediscovered Leonardo in over a century. However, the debate over whether it's authentic continues to this day. 

Some experts argue the face and blessing hand showed Leonardo’s uncanny touch, while others say its da Vinci-esque appearance comes from the painting being heavily doctored over its lifespan. Whether it's a true Leonardo or not is one of the art world's biggest controversies. A scientific study apparently concluded that Leonardo only contributed partially, but these findings were never officially released and are only a rumor. It's been contradicted by sources who had seen the actual report.

The fact that the painting's authenticity is still being contested makes the incredibly high price it fetched in 2017 even more shocking. But perhaps the fact that it's shrouded in mystery, disputes, and secretiveness makes it even more valuable and intriguing.