„Salvator Mundi“ (Savior of the World), the most expensive painting in history, attributed to Leonardo da Vinci, will end up in the center of a new museum in Saudi Arabia, reveals a new two-part BBC documentary about Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who bought the Renaissance work at auction at Christie’s Gallery in New York Salvator Mundi for a record-breaking 450 million dollars.
The painting has not been publicly seen since it was sold at auction, and according to the BBC, it is possible that the work is stored in a warehouse in Geneva, as reported by Art news.
The good news is that its owner, the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, could make the work available to the public in a future museum in Riyadh, where the painting will serve as a „cultural anchor“, similar to the Mona Lisa at the Louvre, the BBC reports.
Art world debate: Is Leonardo da Vinci the author of the painting?
For years, it was believed that the painting „Salvator Mundi“ was on Bin Salman’s yacht, however, Bernard Heykel, a professor of Middle Eastern studies at Princeton University, told the BBC that the painting is kept in Geneva.
Attributing Salvator Mundi to Leonardo has been the subject of intense debate in the art world.
Some experts claim that the style of the painting is not consistent with known works by Leonardo, especially in terms of figure proportions and facial features.
The painting has undergone significant restoration, which raises questions about the authenticity of the underlying layers and details.
In the art world, there has been speculation about the true authorship of Salvator Mundi, with some experts questioning whether it was actually painted by Leonardo da Vinci himself or if it may have been the work of one of his students or followers.
Despite the debates surrounding the painting, one thing is certain – Salvator Mundi has captured the attention of the art world and continues to be a symbol of wealth, power, and intrigue. Its future display in a new museum in Saudi Arabia will undoubtedly draw visitors from around the world to see this iconic piece up close.
