Leonardo's Salvator Mundi that no one knows where it is? At the center of a plan to make Arabia an international destination

We may know where the Salvator Mundi, the work attributed to Leonardo da Vinci and sold at auction in 2017 at Christie’s as the most expensive work ever, has ended up.The painting, on whose attribution not all critics agree, had been lost a few months ago.Revealing what might happen to the work is the Wall Street Journal, which says Saudi Arabia plans to build a museum of Western art in the capital Riyadh to house the painting, which would currently lie in a warehouse awaiting the project to materialize.

According to the finance-focused newspaper, the Saudis’ plan is to create, in 10 years, a large Italian art hub that is expected to procure an additional $27 billion annually for the economy. The project, which is reportedly the brainchild of Culture Minister Bader bin Abdullah bin Mohammed, is expected to be headed by Italian Stefano Carboni, former curator at the New York Metropolitan’s Islamic Arts Department and appointed administrator of the Saudi Commission for Museums. Confirming the Saudis’ intentions would be the various art purchases made by the Saudi Ministry of Culture in international auctions.

The Wall Street Journal cites sources close to the Saudi regime: “The kingdom’s new culture minister,” explains the article signed by Kelly Crow, “plans to keep the work in storage until a new museum is built to unveil it, according to people briefed on the matter. The plans, which have been kept secret until now, are part of a multibillion-dollar push by the Saudis for the country to become a major international art destination-a goal that until now had not been revealed.”

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

Leonardo's Salvator Mundi that no one knows where it is? At the center of a plan to make Arabia an international destination

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