from The Times

The fate of Leonardo’s ‘lost’ Salvator Mundi

Salvator Mundi vanished after it was sold last year for $450 million. There are fears for its safety

Salvator Mundi before it was sold at Christie’s in 2017Salvator Mundi before it was sold at Christie’s in 2017GETTY IMAGES

Wanted: Leonardo da Vinci’s spectacular Salvator Mundi, the long-lost, then found painting of Christ — the “saviour of the world” — holding an orb. His enigmatic expression has led some to consider it the male Mona Lisa. The Renaissance master was thought to have painted fewer than 20 works, including The Last Supper, so when Salvator Mundi was authenticated less than a decade ago, it took on a mystical quality all of its own and, eventually, the heftiest price tag in history.

Yet, despite its enormous art-historical importance, those who care about it the most say they have no idea where the painting is — and they have concerns about how it is being cared for and how that could affect its condition.

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