'Lost' Leonardo Da Vinci Sells For Record $450 Million At Auction

Leonardo da Vinci has shattered expectations yet again with the sale of one of his paintings Wednesday.

Da Vinci’s long-lost “Salvator Mundi” (“Savior of the World”) sold for a record-breaking $450.3 million at auction at Christie’s in New York City. The painting shows Jesus holding a small orb in his hand, symbolizing the world, and is one of the few surviving pieces of da Vinci’s work. 

The Renaissance artwork was thought to be lost for centuries, disappearing from the collection of King Charles I of England in 1736. Charles Robinson purchased the painting in London in 1900, but the piece was no longer credited to da Vinci at that point, according to the auction house . 

“Salvator Mundi” went through more unwitting owners before being discovered in Louisiana in 2005  by New York art collector Robert Simon.

Christie’s auction house billed the painting as “The Last Da Vinci.” “Salvator Mundi” was authenticated after years of restoration and research that began in 2007. 

The small artwork has gained international attention with BuzzFeed News even live-streaming the auction  on Wednesday to thousands of viewers. 

Da Vinci’s painting well surpassed the $100 million expected price , as the sale ended up being worth just over $450 million after including fees. The sale is a record, according to The Guardian .