On film the story of Salvator Mundi, record-breaking painting attributed to Leonardo

Coming to Italian cinemas from March 21-23, 2022, is the documentary that tells the story of the Salvator Mundi, the most expensive painting in history, which was sold in 2017 at auction by Christie’ s for a record $450 million and $312,500 (equivalent to 382 million euros).

The controversial work is attributed to Leonardo da Vinci and depicts Christ in a half-length pose facing the viewer, but it is still the subject of debate regarding its attribution. In fact, the documentary entitled Leonardo. The Lost Masterpiece, directed by Andreas Koefoed. The destiny of the Salvator Mundi has seen the quest for fame, money and power intertwined; as its price has skyrocketed so have questions about its authenticity. “This story lays bare the mechanisms of the human psyche, our attraction to the divine and the mechanisms of capitalist societies where money and power prevail over truth,” said the director. “The painting becomes a prism through which we can understand ourselves and the world we live in. To date there is no conclusive evidence that the painting is or is not by Leonardo. And as long as there is doubt, people, institutions and states can in fact ’use’ it for the purpose that is most useful to them.”

Among the key players involved in the documentary are restorer Dianne Modestini; art dealers Robert Simon, Alexander Parish, and Warren Adelson; entrepreneur Yves Bouvier; National Gallery of London curator Luke Syson; art historians and Leonardo experts Martin Kemp, Maria teresa Fiorio, and Frank Zöllner; artist and restorer Jacques Franck; Bank of America Global Art Services Executive Evan Beard; writer and journalist Georgina Adam; and investigative journalist Bradley Hope; writer Alexandra Bregman; art critics and writers Kenny Schachter and Jerry Saltz; Associate Professor at Sciences Po Stéphane Lacroix; Director of The Arts Newspaper Alison Cole; journalists Antonie Harari and David Kirkpatrick; Founder of the FBI Art Crime Team robert King Wittman; former CIA agent Doug Patteson; Yves Bouvier business partner Bruce Lamarche; Director of La Tribune de l’Art Didier Rykner; and Director (from 2004 to 2016) of the Berlin Gemäldegallerie Bernd Lindemann.

Leonardo. The Lost Masterpiece is a Nexo Digital event in collaboration with Piece of Magic and is part of La Grande Arte al Cinema. For 2022, La Grande Arte al Cinema is exclusively distributed in Italy by Nexo Digital with media partners Radio Capital, Sky Arte, MYmovies.it and in collaboration with Abbonamento Musei.

A trailer for the documentary can be viewed at this link .

Pictured is the Salvator Mundi attributed to Leonardo da Vinci (c. 1499; oil on panel; 65.6 x 45.4 cm; Private collection)

On film the story of Salvator Mundi, record-breaking painting attributed to Leonardo

Warning: the translation into English of the original Italian article was created using automatic tools. We undertake to review all articles, but we do not guarantee the total absence of inaccuracies in the translation due to the program. You can find the original by clicking on the ITA button. If you find any mistake,please contact us.