"Salvator Mundi, the astonishing affair of the last Vinci", a documentary by Antoine Vitkine
Audio 02:39
The "Salvator Mundi" in Naples in 2018 shortly after the police found the stolen painting.
(Illustrative photo) KONTROLAB / LightRocket via Getty - KONTROLAB
By: Isabelle Chenu Follow
7 mins
What happened to the
Salvator Mundi
, the most expensive painting in the world representing the figure of Christ holding a globe?
It was bought for $ 450 million in November 2017 by Mohammed bin Salman, the crown prince of Saudi Arabia.
Was it really painted by Leonardo da Vinci?
France 5 is broadcasting this Tuesday, April 13, 2021 a remarkable documentary entitled
Salvator Mundi, the astonishing affair of the last Vinci
by Antoine Vitkine, which reveals the underside of an incredible affair.
Publicity
It was November 15, 2017 at Christie's in New York.
$ 400 million for a painting, sold in less than twenty minutes.
Salvator Mundi
, attributed to Leonardo da Vinci, becomes the most expensive painting in the world.
Journalist Antoine Vitkine signs a documentary, the result of two years of investigation, which looks like a saga - between auction house, experts, opportunist intermediary, major museums and heads of state.
But before it got there, there was the glance of a New York art dealer, Robert Simon, in 2005.
A late copy
?
“
He had an amazing nose.
This painting was sold as a late copy of a painting by Vinci.
He bought it for a little over a thousand dollars!
And he immediately recognized the motif of the painting.
He knew, this
Salvator Mundi
was painted by Vinci's studio, possibly, possibly, with the participation of Vinci.
He quickly realized that the painting dated from the time of Vinci.
While doing research, he realized that he came from Leonardo da Vinci's studio anyway.
"
If many specialists remain skeptical or cautious, the exhibition of the painting in 2011 by one of the largest museums in the world, the National Gallery in London, will change everything.
After a very substantial restoration, the
Salvator Mundi
is presented to the public for the first time as an authentic Leonardo da Vinci.
Painted by Leonardo da Vinci and his assistants?
“
When we look at the painting, we are not sure if what we are looking at is painted by Leonardo da Vinci and his assistants, or if it is a painting painted by Dianne Dwyer Modestini, who is the name of the American restaurateur.
"
Regardless, over the years and negotiations, its price did not stop rising, until it was acquired by Mohammed ben Salman.
The
Salvator Mundi
becomes an affair of state between France and Saudi Arabia.
The Louvre auscultates the work in the greatest secrecy and does not validate or integrate it into its great Leonardo da Vinci retrospective of 2019.
A taboo topic
“
The Saudis have come.
This subject is a taboo subject, very complicated.
The fact that there is scientific controversy over the attribution of a painting, especially Da Vinci, is not something very rare.
But, of course, this changes everything about the value of the array.
A painting from the workshop is not $ 400 million.
We can assume that the Saudis do not want to depreciate this purchase which is a prestige purchase and which corresponds to Mohammed ben Salman's desire to become a leading cultural actor.
To make the site of Al-Ula, in Saudi Arabia, a world cultural and tourist pole.
"
Since then, the
Salvator Mundi
has been invisible.
Less than twenty paintings in the world are today recognized by the hand of Leonardo da Vinci, the great genius of the Italian Renaissance.
►
Diffusion in
Le Monde opposite
Tuesday April 13 at 8:50 pm on France 5.
Salvator Mundi, the astonishing affair of the last Vinci
is to be seen and reviewed on france.tv
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