Dallasky Art Museum is considering the acquisition of the "Savior of the World» («Salvator Mundi»), which some experts attribute the brush of the great Leonardo da Vinci and valued at $ 192 million

LEONARDO DA VINCI (attributed)
Savior of the world. Around the 1500s
Source: artnews.com

Dallasky Museum of Art may become the owner of the "Savior of the World» («Salvator Mundi»), which some experts attribute the brush of the great Leonardo da Vinci. As stated in an interview with Reuters representative museum Jill Bernstein (Jill Bernstein), they are seriously thinking about the possibility of acquisition.

Work "Savior of the world" recently took part in the National Gallery exhibition 'Leonardo da Vinci: court painter in Milan court» , along with recognized masterpieces of the great master. This indicates that the curators of the museum respected agreed to a new attribution of work.

Until recently, the oil painting on board attributed to Leonardo's pupil Giovanni Boltraffio (Giovanni Boltraffio). Multiple illiterate cleaning and touch-up did not go for the benefit of "the Savior of the world": it has become more like a copy, and in 1958 at Sotheby's picture (as a job Boltraffio) sold for just 45 pounds.

But when in 2005 the New York art historian Robert Simon (Robert Simon) had, did a neat and professional restoration, seemed to work much more sophisticated. Admiring the experts recognized that this hand is not a student, but a teacher. It is believed that the product was allegedly written by Da Vinci order of King Louis XII in the 1500's. Documented the first known owner of the "Savior of the World" is the English King Charles I, in whose collection the work was listed in 1649. Then it was sold, and the traces of lost almost two centuries. In the XIX century it was bought by a British collector Sir Francis Cook, whose descendants and let the auction "Savior of the World" for 45 pounds.

How much work is now - is not known. The media is the sum of 200 million dollars. Reuters has $ 192 million figure. Now the "Savior of the world", according to the latest data, owned by a group of art dealers. Dallas Museum of Art must have other hidden resources, about a couple of hundred million dollars, stockpiled on the safe side in case. For example, to buy a one day work of Leonardo. Or, more likely, the price of "the Saviour of the world" are not as high, as discussed earlier. So, its authorship may again be questioned.

Prepared Maria Onuchina, AI

Sources : reuters.com , artinvestment.ru

Details: unknown masterpiece by Leonardo or " thought-out marketing activities »?