The world’s most expensive artwork has been out of sight in a vault in Geneva for years, with its owner hoping it will become the “anchor” of a new art gallery in Saudi Arabia, it can be revealed.
Salvator Mundi, which was sold for $450 million (£360 million) in 2017 after being attributed to Leonardo da Vinci, is being held by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, a new BBC documentary has reported.
Contrary to reports that it has been hanging in the crown prince’s private yacht, one of his confidants said it has been languishing in storage since its record-breaking purchase.
Salvator Mundi was attributed to Leonardo but there are significant doubts within the art world as to how much involvement he had
TOLGA AKMEN/AFP/GETTY IMAGES
Bernard Haykel, a professor of professor of Near Eastern studies at Princetown University, said Crown Prince Mohammed had told him he wanted