In 2017, the portrait, attributed to Leonardo da Vinci, sold for a record £360m and vanished. Now, it is claimed, it will reappear as the star exhibit in a Saudi branch of the Louvre
The dirt and thick over-paint coating a Renaissance masterpiece can obscure the true shape of what lies beneath. But when it comes to Salvator Mundi, that infamous study of Jesus Christ attributed by many to Leonardo da Vinci, the layers of intrigue covering the picture now match the murky stages of its lengthy restoration.
Last week another hidden layer of the story was uncovered, with fresh evidence of the likely destiny of the missing, record-breaking $450m (£360m) work of art.
