Salvator Mundi is attributed to Leonardo da Vinci, though scholars have argued for years over how much of the painting is actually by his hand versus a workshop assistant — a controversy that has never fully died down.
Christie's 2017 sale represented the single biggest jump in art-auction history in one bidding session. The buyer was later revealed to be Prince Badr bin Abdullah, acting on behalf of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
The painting's exact whereabouts have been a mystery ever since — it has not been publicly exhibited since the sale, feeding years of speculation about where a $450 million painting simply disappears to.
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