After its record-breaking auction, the whereabouts of the world’s most expensive painting have remained a mystery. Speculation about the “Salvator Mundi” by Leonardo da Vinci has been rife, but new clues might reveal its current location.
The “Salvator Mundi” was sold at Christie’s in New York in 2017 for a staggering $450 million (around €404 million), making it the most expensive painting ever auctioned. Despite its record price, the painting, which dates back to around 1500, disappeared shortly after the sale. Since then, its whereabouts have been the subject of intense speculation.
Recent theories suggest that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman al-Saud, often referred to as MBS, may be the buyer. While neither the prince nor the auction house has confirmed this, it is believed that the painting could be in a Swiss freeport in Geneva. This type of facility allows goods to be stored without import duties or taxes, providing a level of secrecy and protection.
Bernard Haykel, a friend of the Crown Prince and a professor of Middle Eastern studies at Princeton University, claimed that despite rumors of the painting being on the prince’s yacht or in his palace, it is actually held in this Swiss storage facility. Haykel also mentioned that MBS plans to display the painting in a new museum he intends to build in Riyadh. The prince aims to create a major attraction similar to the Louvre’s Mona Lisa, which has been one of the most iconic paintings in Western art history since 1797.
