The world’s most expensive painting has not been seen publicly since it was sold at Christie’s in 2017. A new BBC report says it might be being held in storage in Geneva – and that it could be on view again soon.
ADVERTISEMENTAttributed to Leonardo da Vinci, the Renaissance painting ‘Salvator Mundi’ (‘Saviour of the World’) became the priciest artwork ever sold at auction when it fetched $450 million (€406 million) at Christie’s in 2017. Since then, the oil painting depicting Jesus Christ has not been seen by the public.
A new report by the BBC says that – despite rumours that it was being held on a yacht – the elusive work has been in storage in the Swiss city of Geneva since it was purchased by Saudi crown prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS), and that it may soon be on the way to the Gulf.
According to the report, MBS plans to make ‘Salvator Mundi’ the centrepiece of a future museum in Riyadh.
Quoted in the article, Bernard Haykel, Professor of Near Eastern Studies at Princeton University and a friend of MBS, quotes the Saudi crown prince as saying, “I want to build a very large museum in Riyadh. And I want an anchor object that will attract people, just like the Mona Lisa does.”
As part of his larger piece on the rise of MBS, BBC journalist Jonathan Rugman writes that the crown prince’s purchase of Salvator Mundi was part of a larger effort to modernise Saudi Arabia.
“MBS’s purchase of a famous painting in 2017 tells us much about how he thinks, and his willingness to be a risk-taker, unafraid to be out of step with the religiously conservative society that he governs,” Rugman says, “And above all, determined to outplay the West in conspicuous displays of power.”
The attribution of ‘Salvator Mundi’ to Leonardo da Vinci has sparked heated debate in the art community.
While some experts believe it to be his work, others argue that the painting’s style doesn't quite match Leonardo’s known pieces, especially when it comes to the proportions and facial features of the figure. Adding to the controversy is the extensive restoration the painting has undergone.
