‘Salvator Mundi’—Most Expensive Art Auctioned—Could Get A Museum Of Its Own

Acquired in 2017 by Saudi Arabia’s Prince Badr bin Abdullah, the famed Salvator Mundi still holds the title for the most expensive painting sold at auction, having fetched a jaw-dropping US$450 million at Christie’s. 

Curiously, it’s been nearly five years since the public last saw the painting, having been kept from prying eyes since it was purchased. 

Though, recently, art historian Martin Kemp revealed the work could soon appear in a rumored art gallery, scheduled to be completed in 2024. The Leonardo da Vinci scholar told the Financial Times that Saudi authorities have been in touch with him to authenticate the work’s provenance. 

While Kemp remains certain the piece was indeed painted by the maestro himself, many other experts have expressed doubts about its authorship, leading to the Prado Museum’s decision to downgrade its status last year. 

According to Artnet News, the forthcoming museum isn’t the first time Saudi Arabia has made plans to display the historic artwork. It was initially set to show up at the Louvre Abu Dhabi in 2018 but was canceled at the last minute. 

No one truly knows where the painting resides at the moment, though many believe it’s housed aboard Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s yacht. Will it finally make an appearance in 2024? We can only wait and see. 

[via Artnet News and The Art Newspaper, cover image via Wikimedia Commons (Public Domain)]