|
The First Art Newspaper on the Net |
![](/images/instagram.png) |
Established in 1996 |
|
Saturday, September 7, 2024 |
|
Saudi crown prince bought $450 mn Da Vinci: report |
|
|
Auctioneer and Global President Jussi Pylkkänen selling Leonardo da Vincis Salvator Mundi realizing $450,312,500. © Christies Images Limited 2017.
|
NEW YORK (AFP).- Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is the actual buyer of a painting by Renaissance master Leonardo da Vinci that sold for a record-breaking $450 million at auction last month, The Wall Street Journal reported Thursday.
The young and dynamic crown prince, known by his initials MBS, used an intermediary to buy the much-sought-after painting of Christ, "Salvator Mundi," the newspaper reported, citing US intelligence and other unnamed sources.
The son of Saudi King Salman is seen to be progressively consolidating his power, and is the architect of a wide-ranging plan dubbed Vision 2030 to bring social and economic change to his country's oil-dependent economy.
He is also seen as the mastermind of last month's rounding-up of more than 200 princes, ministers and businessmen in a sweeping anti-corruption purge.
The painting -- one of fewer than 20 works generally accepted as being by the Renaissance master, according to Christie's -- was bought by little-known Prince Bader bin Abdullah bin Mohammed bin Farhan al-Saud, reports say.
The Journal reported that Bader was the nominal buyer, but said MBS was identified in US intelligence reports as the true owner.
"He is a proxy for MBS," an unnamed figure in the Gulf art world told the Journal.
American officials are keeping close tabs on the crown prince, the paper said, citing unnamed sources.
On Wednesday, the Louvre Abu Dhabi announced that the record-breaking Da Vinci painting would be displayed there.
The reports come shortly after the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia announced the formation of a new military and economic committee, separate from the Gulf Cooperation Council.
In recent years, Qatar has been the biggest player in the Gulf art world, but in June, Saudi Arabia and some of its allies broke off diplomatic and trade relations with Doha, which they accuse of supporting extremist movements.
"Salvator Mundi" -- dated to around 1500 -- is the last known Da Vinci in the hands of a private collector. It was long believed to be a copy but was finally authenticated about a dozen years ago.
© Agence France-Presse
|
|
Today's News
December 8, 2017
Donald Trump beats North Korea's Kim Jong-Un, sort of, at Art Basel in Miami Beach
Saudi crown prince bought $450 mn Da Vinci: report
The Oriental rug market viewed as a pyramid
New species of 'marsupial lion' found in Australia
Walker Art Gallery displays Lowry painting of the River Mersey and Three Graces
Tim Van Laere Gallery presents a solo exhibition of Franz West
Sotheby's to offer Italian, French, Spanish, German & British drawings spanning 500 years of Western art
$18M Alloy Ferrari LWB Cal Spider Competizione Leads RM Sotheby's ICONS Sale
Ancient Mediterranean Collection given new gallery space, visibility at Newark Museum
Naples pizza-making wins UNESCO heritage status
Illustrator Quentin Blake holds auction for 'overlooked' art
Exhibition examines the uses of photography to document, record, and identify individuals
In greying east Germany, a community for sale
MFAH announces the Jeanie Kilroy Wilson Endowment for the Curator of American Painting and Sculpture
New exhibition at SMK delves into the relationship between artistic creation and institutional support
Exhibition at the India House Art Gallery in Pune, India features Alyssia Lazin, Pavel Kapic and Arti Kirloskar
Sotheby's Important Watches totals $7.6 million: Robust online buying drives results
Christie's New York Magnificent Jewels totals $62,592,750
Aaron Angell presents new ceramic sculpture, inflatables, and painting at Glasgow's Gallery of Modern Art
Cortesi Gallery opens Serena Maisto's first solo show in London
Solo exhibition of Nikita Makarov opens at the Moscow Museum of Modern Art
National YoungArts Foundation announces Daniel Arsham Fellowship for Early Career Visual Artists
BMW Art Journey artist shortlist announced during Art Basel in Miami Beach
Cochrane gift endows painting conservatorship
|
|
|
|
|
Museums, Exhibits, Artists, Milestones, Digital Art, Architecture, Photography, Photographers, Special Photos, Special Reports, Featured Stories, Auctions, Art Fairs, Anecdotes, Art Quiz, Education, Mythology, 3D Images, Last Week, . |
|
|
|
Royalville Communications, Inc produces:
|
|
|
Tell a Friend
Dear User, please complete the form below in order to recommend the Artdaily newsletter to someone you know.
Please complete all fields marked *.
Sending Mail
Sending Successful
|
|