Abu Dhabi: The New York Times reported that Saudi Prince Bader bin Abdullah bin Mohammed bin Farhan Al Saud is the secret buyer of Leonardo Da Vinci’s “Salvator Mundi,” which was sold last month at a Christie’s auction for $450 million, the highest ever paid for a work of art. Though the Christie’s declined to name the buyer, New York Times revealed that the Saudi Prince is the buyer, citing documents it reviewed.
Ever since the sale, the identity of the buyer has been the most sought-after secret in the art world and beyond. Buyers from the Middle East and Asia have been snapping up masterpieces to fill regional museums - and pushing prices ever higher. The Louvre Abu Dhabi - a franchise of the Paris original - is a symbol of the oil-rich sheikhdom’s drive to boost its “soft power” credentials. To differentiate itself from neighbouring Dubai, Abu Dhabi is targeting affluent tourists looking for culture and art and it has also built hotels, theme parks and malls.
The organisation behind the museum became one of the most aggressive buyers on the global art market over the last decade. It opened last month with more than 600 artworks for its permanent collection, including such Old Master paintings as Giovanni Bellini’s “Madonna and Child.” Da Vinci’s “La Belle Ferronnière” is on loan there from the Louvre in Paris.
