$450M da Vinci to Emirates museum
A LEONARDO da Vinci painting of Christ that sold for a record $450 million is heading to a museum in the United Arab Emirates.
The newly opened Louvre Abu Dhabi made the announcement Wednesday.
The 500-year-old painting is called “Salvator Mundi,” Latin for “Savior of the World.” It’s one of fewer than 20 paintings by the Renaissance master known to exist and the only one in private hands. Christie’s auction house sold it to an anonymous buyer last month.
The mystery buyer was a little-known Saudi prince, according to The New York Times.
Christie’s says it doesn’t comment on the identities of buyers or sellers without their permission.