Is the much-discussed Leonardo da Vinci painting “Christ as Salvator Mundi” back on the market?
The Dallas Museum of Art is currently in possession of the work, which was just re-attributed to the Italian master last July. Under the new direction of Maxwell Anderson, the museum is after a “destination painting,” and is considering purchasing the Salvator Mundi for $200 million. However, the high price would require many of the institution’s major donors to band together to come up with the funds, according to Art in America’s Brian Boucher. That may prove to be an insurmountable hurdle: not everyone is convinced it is worth the fat pricetag, as it is not in top condition.
"For me Dallas would make a more serious splash by going after several lesser priced paintings in very fine condition,” New York-based Old Masters dealer Richard Feigen told A.i.A.
The Salvator Mundi, reportedly owned by a group of private dealers including Alex Parish and Robert Simon, was first re-attributed to da Vinci in July 2011. Rumors of its next owner abounded, especially after it was sent to London’s National Gallery for the “Leonardo da Vinci: Painter at the Court of Milan” exhibition, which ran from November 2011 through February 2012. Simon told Bloomberg’s Scott Reyburn that he didn’t have any intention to sell the work. “I’ve assured the National Gallery that the painting isn’t on the market and that there are no plans to sell it after the exhibition,” he said.