Rare Da Vinci painting smashes world records with $450 million sale

Leonardo da Vinci’s “Salvator Mundi” has become the most expensive artwork to ever sell at auction, going for $450.3 million at Christie’s in New York. Dating back to around 1500, the rare painting is one of fewer than 20 authenticated works by the Italian in existence.

"Salvator Mundi" ("Savior of the World") is one of fewer than 20 known paintings by da Vinci.

Original estimates had predicted bids of over $100 million for the piece. But the new record was set after approximately 20 minutes of telephone bidding, far surpassing the previous auction record held by Picasso’s “Les Femmes d’Alger,” which sold for $179.4 million in 2015.

"Salvator Mundi" (c. 1500) by Leonardo da Vinci -- Price Realized: $450,312,500 —

Leonardo da Vinci's "Salvator Mundi" became the most expensive artwork sold at auction in November 2017, when it went for over $450 million at Christie's in New York. Look through the gallery for more of history's priciest paintings.

"Les femmes d'Alger (Version 'O')" (1955) by Pablo Picasso -- Price Realized: $179,365,000 —

Pablo Picasso's "Les femmes d'Alger (Version 'O')" previously held the auction record after selling for $179.4 million in 2015.

"The Scream" (1895) by Edvard Munch -- Price realized: $119,922,500 —

The sale of Edvard Munch's "The Scream" to billionaire Leon Black for $119.9 million in 2012 marked more than a new art record: it was the first time that a pastel, rather than an oil or acrylic painting, came anywhere near achieving such a price.

"Abstraktes Bild" (1994) by Gerhard Richter -- Price realized: $34,190,757 —

Rock star Eric Clapton sold his "Abstraktse Bild" by art star Gerhard Richter in 2012 for ￡21.3 million, establishing a new record for a living artist and the highest price ever paid for a Gerhard Richter painting.

"Portrait of Dr. Gachet" (1890) by Vincent van Gogh -- Price Realized: $82,500,000 —

Vincent van Gogh's "Portrait of Dr. Gachet" rocked the art world in 1990 when it sold to Tokyo's Kobayashi gallery for $82.5 million at Christie's-- more than twice the previous auction record.

"Gar?on a la Pipe" (1905) by Pablo Picasso -- Price Realized: $104,168,000 —

Pablo Picasso's "Gar?on a la Pipe" broke the $100 million ceiling when it sold at Sotheby's for over $104 million in May, 2004 -- the first painting to exceed the record set in 1990 for the "Dr.Gachet."

"Benefits Supervisor Resting" (1994) by Lucian Freud -- Price Realized: $56,165,000 —

The portrait of the ample-bodied Sue Tilley, a British government worker, was one of four such paintings the British artist produced of the woman he called "Fat Sue." The portrait achieved a record for the artist when it sold at Christie's New York in May, 2015.

"Nu couché" (1917-1918) by Amedeo Modigliani -- Price Realized: $170,405,000 —

Appetite for Modigliani's work had already been on the rise when this rare nude came up for sale. It set a new record for the artist -- and one of the highest prices ever set at auction -- when it sold at Christie's in November, 2015 to a Chinese billionaire bidding by telephone.

Record-breaking art sales

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Although lacking the detail and clarity of the “Mona Lisa” – which was created in approximately the same period – “Salvator Mundi” attracted crowds of visitors during pre-auction viewings in London, Hong Kong and San Francisco. It depicts Jesus Christ in Renaissance clothing, one hand raised in blessing and the other holding a crystal orb.

First commissioned by Louis XII of France, the 26 inch tall by 18 inch wide oil painting was later owned by England’s Charles I. But the artwork had been presumed lost since the late 18th century.

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Da Vinci painting destined to find new owner

03:28 - Source: CNN

When “Salvator Mundi” reappeared at auction in 1958, it was dismissed as a copy and sold for ￡45 ($59). Acquired by a group of art dealers for less than $10,000 in 2005, the painting – which was in poor condition and had been heavily overpainted – was painstakingly restored and subsequently authenticated.

The record-breaking price tag will come as a relief to previous owner Dmitry Rybolovlev, a Russian businessman, who bought the painting for $127.5 milion in 2013.

“Salvator Mundi” is set to be the biggest lot at this year’s fall auction season, during which Christie’s and Sotheby’s can expect to achieve total sales of more than $1 billion.