It is the most expensive painting in the world and it's also the most mysterious.
This is the story of "Salvator Mundi," sold as Leonardo Da Vinci's lost masterpiece.
This is the story of "Salvator Mundi," sold as Leonardo Da Vinci's lost masterpiece.
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CreativityTranscript
00:00Leonardo Salvatore Mondi selling here, accuracy is 400 million dollars is the bid and the
00:24piece is sold. The problem with this story is that it can still be a da Vinci. As long
00:34as we don't know if it's a da Vinci or not, the speculation will keep on coming and there
00:41will be different positions and the argument will continue forever. It's like a mythical
01:00motif and for years there have been speculations within the art world about whether Leonardo
01:08actually painted the motif himself or whether he just did preparation for it with sketches
01:15because many of his pupils they did exactly, they did paint the motif but there's been
01:22speculations about whether the master himself did it as well.
01:38It had been for very many years overpainted with layers of paint that really obscured its quality and it was sold as a copy. The new buyers started the restoration process and once the old paint layers began to come up, the repaint layers, you could see the original quality.
01:56This whole story is stranger than fiction, you couldn't make it up and it has fascinated me from the very beginning.
02:08I was immediately very fascinated by it, I felt it had so many layers and so many fantastic elements.
02:39My hands are shaking, no one except Leonardo could have painted this picture.
02:47And it was at that point that it was beginning to be understood that it really might be Leonardo's lost original which had long been known to have existed but was presumed to have been destroyed.
03:09And from that point on the painting enters this dark world of oligarchs and speculative art dealers and who use art to hide money and who hide their art in free ports where they can sell it.
03:37In free ports where they don't have to pay tax.
03:44Christie's played a crucial role in making this the world's most expensive painting.
03:48And so ladies and gentlemen we move to the Leonardo da Vinci, the Salvator Mundi, the masterpiece by Leonardo of Christ the Saviour, previously in the collections of three kings of England.
04:00King Charles I, King Charles II and King James II.
04:05But one could question whether they should have been more transparent, more detailed about the doubts.
04:15Leonardo Salvator Mundi selling here at Christie's, 400 million dollars is the bid and the piece is sold.
04:34We will not comment on the identity and the geography of the buyer.
04:54To me the conclusion of the story if there is one is that the truth is lost.
05:02It's not just the painting that is lost.
05:04We also lose the truth because there is so much interest.
05:07There is so much power at stake.
05:11So the truth is missing.
05:15And we as regular people we can't see the painting.
05:19We can't access it.
05:21We can't, the scholars can't examine it.
05:24So I think that's like a sad situation because the most beautiful art in the world is supposed to be accessible to people and not be stored away in free ports.
05:39I think the story of the painting will continue for a long time.
05:42And I think there are so many elements to it that makes it perfect for a series or a sequel definitely.
05:50For more information visit www.fema.gov