“Salvator Mundi’, the only work by Leonardo da Vinci that is owned by a private collector, is going to be auctioned by Christie’s at an estimate of $100m (£75m). Ironically, the painting was sold for just £45 in 1958. It is among 15 such paintings by Da Vinci and was left untraceable for centuries until it was authenticated as a genuine work in 2011, notes The Guardian.While announcing the auction in New York, Christie’s referred to the painting as “the biggest discovery of the 21st century.” The depiction of Christ holding aloft a crystal globe in his left hand and lifting his right hand in blessing has an oddly hypnotic quality. Perhaps it’s the mysterious depth in Christ’s eyes reminiscent of the Mona Lisa or the pattern of the cross ingeniously created by his ensemble, but the painting is uniquely captivating.With Salvator Mundi, which translates to “Saviour of the World”, the art world marks the first discovery of a painting by Da Vinci since 1909, making it immensely rare. It made headlines when the National Gallery made it a part of its widely successful Da Vinci exhibition. While the fact that Da Vinci had created an artwork by that name was common information, most thought that it no longer existed.The painting will make its way to San Francisco, London and Hong Kong before being auctioned in New York on 15 November. Along with “Salvador Mundi,” all eyes will also be on Andy Warhol’s renowned “Sixty Last Suppers,” which he created a year before he died in 1986. Christie’s has pegged it at $50m.Click here to view the slideshow.
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