A painting by a great Renaissance master from the scandalous collection of billionaire Dmitry Rybolovlev has officially become the most expensive work art in the world
The painting caused a stir already at the Christie’s press conference on October 10, 2017. Photo: GettyImages
The painting, which dates to around 1500, was the top lot at Christie's evening auction of modern and post-war art in New York on November 15. Moreover, $450.3 million is an absolute record price for a work of art sold at public auction. The total revenue of the auction house, which also sold works by Andy Warhol, Cy Twombly, Mark Rothko and others that evening, amounted to $789 million.
The bidding began at $90 million (the day before it became known that Christie’s had a guaranteed bid from an absentee buyer who offered just under $100 million) and lasted a full 20 minutes. The main contenders were 4 telephone buyers and 1 participant in the hall. In the end, the job went to a client of Alex Rotter, head of the international department, who was haggling over the phone. contemporary art Christie's. When auctioneer Jussi Pilkkanen confirmed the sale of the painting for $400 million with the third blow of the hammer (taking into account the auction house commission, the price reached $450.3 million), the hall burst into applause.
Christie’s explained their decision to sell “Salvator Mundi” at a contemporary art auction due to the incredible significance of the work. “A painting by the most important artist of all time, depicting an iconic figure for all of humanity. The opportunity to put such a masterpiece up for auction is a huge honor and a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Despite the fact that the work was painted by Leonardo approximately 500 years ago, today it influences contemporary art no less than in the 15th and 16th centuries,” said Loic Gouzer, chairman of the New York department of post-war and contemporary art at Christie’s.
Russian-born billionaire Dmitry Rybolovlev, whose name is now constantly heard in the news of the art world, decided to sell the last work of Leonardo da Vinci in a private collection. Firstly, he is suing his art consultant, accusing him of fraud and claiming that he overpaid twice for the collection, and secondly, he is gradually selling this collection at auctions and privately, usually receiving much less for the works than he paid. Now it’s the turn of Leonardo da Vinci’s “Savior of the World,” which went under the hammer for more than three times as much: Rybolovlev cost the painting $127.5 million, and he sold it for $450.3 million.
Remarkable as the history of this painting, for a long time considered destroyed, and the scientific debate devoted to its attribution. There are several facts that indirectly prove that Leonardo painted Christ in the image of the Savior of the world at the turn of the 15th-16th centuries, that is, during his stay in Milan, most likely by order of the King of France, Louis XII, who at that time controlled the north of Italy. Firstly, there is a known engraving from 1650, made by Wenceslas Hollar from an original by Leonardo da Vinci (as indicated by the engraver himself). The master's sketches have also been preserved - a drawing of the head of Christ, dating back to the 1480s, from Leonardo's Codex Atlanticus (kept in the Ambrosian Library in Milan), as well as sketches of draperies (kept in the Royal Library of Windsor Castle), which compositionally coincide with those depicted on the painting put up for auction, and with those in the engraving. There are also several similar compositions by Leonardo’s students with the same plot. However, the original was considered irretrievably lost.
The painting “Salvator Mundi” by Leonardo da Vinci was sold at the auction of post-war and contemporary art at Christie’s in New York on November 15, 2017 for $450.3 million. Photo: Christie’s
“Savior of the World,” now owned by Rybolovlev, was first documented in the collection of the British monarch Charles I: in the 17th century, it was kept in the royal palace in Greenwich. The following evidence dates back to 1763, when the painting was sold by Charles Herbert Sheffield, the illegitimate son of the Duke of Buckingham. He was selling off his father's legacy after he sold Buckingham Palace to the king. Then the painting disappears from view for a long time, and its trace is rediscovered only in 1900, when “Salvator Mundi”, as a work by a follower of Leonardo Bernardino Luini, is acquired by Sir Charles Robinson, art consultant to Sir Francis Cook. This is how the work ends up in the Cook collection in Richmond. It is believed that by this time the work had already undergone inept restoration, which was necessary after the board split in two (in particular, the face of Christ was rewritten). In 1958, Sotheby's sold the collection; a heavily rewritten image of Christ went under the hammer for £45. Such a modest price is explained by the fact that the work was attributed in the auction catalog as a late copy of a painting by the High Renaissance artist Giovanni Boltraffio.
In 2005, Salvator Mundi was purchased by a group of art dealers (including New York old master specialist Robert Simon) as a Leonardesque work for just $10,000 at a small American auction. In 2013, a consortium of dealers sold the painting to Yves Bouvier for $80 million, who almost immediately resold it to Dmitry Rybolovlev for $127.5 million.
It is assumed that it was the gallery owner and art critic Robert Simon who was the first to see Leonardo’s hand in the untitled work. On his initiative, the necessary research and consultations with experts were carried out. At the same time, the work was restored. Six years later, the sensational appearance of “Savior of the World” as a genuine painting by Leonardo da Vinci himself at an exhibition, and even in one of the most authoritative museums in the world, the National Gallery in London.
Curator of the exhibition “Leonardo da Vinci. Artist at the Milanese Court (November 2011 - February 2012) Luc Syson, then keeper of Italian painting before 1500 and head of the scientific department, warmly supported Leonardo's authorship. The work was included in the exhibition catalog edited by the same Sison as a work by Leonardo from a private collection. The catalog emphasizes that the most preserved part of the image is the fingers of Christ folded in a blessing gesture. Here the most characteristic techniques of the Italian genius are noticeable, in particular the numerous changes that the artist made during the process of work. In addition, other details point to Leonardo: the complex draperies of the tunic, the smallest air bubbles in the sphere of transparent quartz, as well as the way Christ’s curly hair is painted.
According to the online publication ARTnews, the then director of the National Gallery, Nicholas Penny, and Luke Syson, before deciding to include the work in the exhibition, invited four experts to look at the painting: the curator of the department of painting and graphics of the Metropolitan Museum of Art Carmen Bambach, the leading restorer of the fresco “The Last Supper” » in Milan by Pietro Marani, author of books on the history of the Renaissance, including a biography of Boltraffio, Maria Teresa Fiorio, as well as honorary professor at Oxford University Martin Kemp, who devoted more than 40 years to studying the legacy of Leonardo da Vinci. It seems that the work was accepted, but only Kemp spoke publicly in favor of attributing the “Savior of the World” to Leonardo in a 2011 interview with Artinfo. Answering the journalist’s questions, he notes the special feeling of “Leonardo’s presence” that you experience when looking at his works - you feel it in front of the Mona Lisa and in front of the Savior of the World. In addition, the professor spoke about the stylistic features characteristic of the master’s style.
To be fair, it should be noted that the matter was not limited to art historical analysis—scrupulous technical and technological research was also carried out. The restoration and study of Salvator Mundi was carried out by Professor Dianne Modestini, who heads the Samuel Henry Kress Program in Painting Restoration at the Institute of Fine Arts of New York University. The results of her research were presented at the Leonardo da Vinci: Latest Technological Discoveries conference in February 2012 in New York. However, Modestini is actually the only one who had access to technological research data, and without them it is not entirely correct to speak about authorship.
The Italian Leonardesque specialist Carlo Pedretti publicly spoke out against the attribution of the “Savior of the world” to Leonardo, who in 1982 curated the artist’s exhibition in his hometown of Vinci and then included in the exhibition another “Savior of the world”, from the collection of the Marquis de Gane, considering that painting to be the work of himself masters In addition, the Guardian quotes a number of points from Walter Isaac's biography of Leonardo da Vinci, published in October this year. He draws attention to the image of the ball in the hand of Christ, which is incorrect from the point of view of the laws of physics. The publication also refers to the opinion of University of Leipzig professor Frank Zellner (author of a 2009 monograph on Leonardo), who in a 2013 article called Salvator Mundi a high-quality work from the workshop of Leonardo or his follower. However, this article in the Guardian has already become the subject of a lawsuit from Christie’s International.
What other secrets did the legendary master encrypt in his works?
website invites you to discover amazing world great artist.
1. Error in the painting Salvator Mundi (“Savior of the World”)
If you look closely at the picture, you will notice that the sphere in Jesus’ hands is transparent. But who, if not Leonardo, who studied optics inside and out, should have known that the background behind the crystal sphere cannot be like that. It should enlarge and become fuzzy. For what great artist made such a mistake, it is not known for certain.
2. Amazing fact about the Last Supper
What can unite Judas and Jesus in this painting? There is a parable according to which the sitter for both was the same person. Unfortunately, information about who it was exactly has not reached our days.
However, according to legend, da Vinci found his Jesus in the church choir, where he served as a singer. Later, when the fresco was almost completed and the master could not find anyone for the image of Judas, Leonardo noticed a very drunk man in a ditch with traces of a riotous life on his face. When da Vinci completed the image of Judas, the sitter admitted that he was familiar with this image and that he posed for the artist as Jesus 3 years ago.
3. Another amazing fact about The Last Supper
Another interesting nuance of this fresco. An overturned salt shaker lies next to Judas.. I wonder what this fact may be a clear example of the belief that spilled salt brings disaster. After all, the canvas depicts the moment when Jesus says that one of those gathered will betray him.
4. Is this painting by Leonardo da Vinci?
The painting “Portrait of Isabella d’Este” was found, which, according to scientists, belongs to the brush of a brilliant artist. This is indicated by pigment and primer identical to other paintings by Leonardo, as well as the image of the woman itself, incredibly similar to the Mona Lisa (in particular the smile).
5. Is it a lady with an ermine?
The “Lady with an Ermine” went through a new scanning technique and surprised scientists by not always having an ermine. At least 2 versions of the painting were painted on the same canvas before it took on the form we now know. The first option is without an ermine, and the second is with a completely different animal.
Wikipedia preview photo
A selection and brief description of works devoted to this subject.
Savior of the world is an iconographic plot depicting Jesus with his right hand raised, with which he blesses people, and his left hand, in which he holds a ball topped with a cross, which symbolizes the earth. The composition has a strong eschatological overtones.
Hans Memling
The theme was popular among northern artists, including Jan van Eyck, Hans Memling, Titian and Albrecht Dürer.
Savior of the world
Leonardo
Previously lost and restored in 2011, this work is attributed to Leonardo da Vinci and depicts Christ with the fingers of his right hand crossed and crystal ball in the left. Later, in 2013, the work was sold to a Russian collector, Dmitry Rybolovlev, for $127.5 million.
Leonardo da Vinci
The poor condition caused by early restoration attempts makes it impossible to accurately determine the authorship of the painting. However, detailed examination revealed several features, such as a number of pentimento and unusual pressure techniques, that were characteristic of other works by da Vinci. In addition, the paint pigments and the walnut board on which the Savior is depicted are consistent with other works by the master.
Durer
Albrecht Dürer, the main artist of the German Renaissance, probably began this work shortly before he went to Italy (1505), but at that time he completed only the drapery. The unfinished parts of Christ's face and hands reveal the vastness and thoroughness of the preparatory drawing. The work is painted in oil on linden board.
Titian
In addition to the work of 1570, stored in the Hermitage, Titian painted the painting “The Savior of the World and the Saints” with a similar theme, however, in it Christ does not have an orb, and his figure is surrounded by saints.
Other paintings
The plot can be found on the stained glass Church of England St John's (New South Wales).
The work of an unknown master dating from the second half of the 16th century.
Previtali
In addition to these works, several dozen other works on the plot, authored by many, have survived to this day. Lombard artists, imitators and icon painters.
Savior of the world updated: September 12, 2017 by: Gleb
Leonardo da Vinci Salvator Mundi
At the London National Gallery, as part of the Leonardo exhibition, the painting “Savior of the World” will be shown to the public for the first time.for several centuriesconsidered lost. The discovery of this unique artifact was reported in June by an authoritative magazine Artnews, citing a statement by Robert Simon, a dealer included in the pool of painting owners. They managed to purchase this work in 2004 at an auction whose name was not disclosed, for an unknown amount. In July of this year, Simon issued a press release stating that after numerous examinations, a number of scientists believe that the authorship of the painting belongs to Leonardo da Vinci. The dealer also said that this particular painting is the missing original, from which the artist’s students made copies and engravings.
The stunning news seemed to divide the art world into two camps: some art historians and critics compare this find to the discovery of a planet, others are at least wary of it. An employee of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, who prefers not to advertise his name, single-handedly confirmed the authenticity of “Savior of the World” to Artnews. According to him, initially a large number of The paint really made the painting look like a poorly executed copy, but when the experts peeled it off layer by layer with jewelry-like scrupulousness, an amazingly delicate painting was revealed to them and there was no doubt left: in front of them was a long-lost original.
However, when the painting was submitted to the Boston Museum of Fine Arts for research, the museum's curator refused to comment on the authenticity of the artifact. Another famous art historian, an expert in da Vinci’s technique, Carlo Pedretti, not only does not believe in the authenticity of “The Savior,” but even considers the whole story of the discovery of the canvas a “sophisticated marketing operation.”
In his opinion, only a pale semblance is passed off as the real da Vinci, the work of one of his students, and not the most talented ones at that. At the end of the article published in the official newspaper of the Vatican, the famous art critic and curator calls not to chase chimeras like “the next “Savior,” but to simply look at the painting to understand that it does not belong to the brush of the great painter.
Despite such an ambiguous assessment of the find in the press, many scientists specializing in the work of da Vinci recognized the authenticity of the painting, which allowed the National Gallery in London to exhibit her along with the recognized masterpieces of the painter.
Leonardo da Vinci "Lady with an Ermine"
Interestingly, the authenticity of one of the paintings on display, “Lady with an Ermine,” was also considered controversial for a long time, but over time it gained public recognition.
Undoubtedly, the inclusion of this painting in the exhibition dedicated to the Milanese period of da Vinci’s work will strengthen the position of the painting in the art world. However, it is unclear why laboratory studies, such as spectrography, whichwould have been acquitted loud statements experts and without whom any assessments seem unfounded.
Albrecht Durer "Self-Portrait"
The theme of Salvator Mundi is more characteristic of art Northern Renaissance, it is usually conveyed through a frontal image of Christ carrying Earth in one hand and blessing humanity with the other. Artists such as Jan Van Eyck, Dürer, Titian, El Greco and others turned to this motif. At the end of his life, Leonardo also painted this plot, as evidenced by the description of the painting by the “father of art criticism” Giorgio Vasari, as well as numerous drawings and sketches by da Vinci himself and engravings of his students. To date, only 15 works of the great genius are known, which makes a find of this kind priceless.
He has already been nicknamed the Male Mona Lisa, and he is what Christie's declares to be "the biggest discovery of the 21st century."
A New York auction house this morning unveiled its previously secret and "most exciting acquisition to date": Salvator Mundi (Salvator Mundi), a previously lost masterpiece by Leonardo da Vinci that is believed to be the artist's last painting. "Salvator Mundi is the holy grail of artistic discovery," said Alex Rotter, Christie's co-chairman.
The painting is one of a few - there are only about 15 Da Vinci paintings known to exist. (To understand the importance of this event in the art world, imagine that last time It was 1909 when Da Vinci was discovered.)
It was hidden behind Christie's opaque sliding glass doors until the announcement was made - an invitation to a press conference "You are invited to the first ever openingan unprecedented masterpiece" (“You are invited to a first-ever unveiling of AN UNPRECEDENTED MASTERPIECE”)was written under a giant question mark in a gilded frame.The painting originally hung in the collection of King Charles I and depicted the blessed Jesus Christ, dressed in azure robes and holding an orb, one arm extended upward; The Mona Lisa was painted around the same time.
Salvator Mundi first appeared in 2005 (it sold at Sotheby's for £45 in 1958) and was presented at the National Gallery in London in 2011; the director of the National Gallery called its arrival "an event greater than the discovery of a new planet."
Immediately after today's press conference, the film will tour the world, appearing in Hong Kong, San Francisco and London, before returning to New York, where it will be exhibitedfor auction.
Of the 15 Da Vinci paintings currently known, Salvator Mundi is the only one in private hands. It will be sold at Christie's auction, and the estimated price is $100 million. “Who will buy it?” - said Guzer. “Who knows. But there would be no Louvre without the Mona Lisa, and there would probably be no Paris without the Louvre; whoever buys it will perpetuate his name, his collection, most likely, and probably his city.”