Leonardo da Vinci's "Salvatore Mundi" was auctioned off in New York for $ 450 million, making it the most expensive artwork ever made by the painter, one of Europe's most important artists, who died in 1519 and found only 20 paintings. A painting by Italian painter Leonardo da Vinci was sold Wednesday at $ 450.3 million at Christie's auction in New York, breaking the record for the world's most expensive painting. The painting bears the name of Salvatore Mundi, the Savior of the world, believed to be the only one of Davinci. Christ represents his right hand and in his left hand is a glass ball topped by a cross. "The painting is original and one of the most important artistic discoveries of the 20th century," said Christiez, a renowned auctioneer. After a 19-minute round of bidding, Salvatore Monde, the last painting of the renaissance painter who was still a private monarch, toppled Pablo Picasso's "Women of Algeria" at $ 179.4 million in 2015. The auction house valued the 65-centimeter, 45 million-dollar painting, sold for a very small amount of £ 45 in 1958, before proving it to the owner in 2005. The "Salvatore Mundi" painting representing Jesus Christ wore a blue robe, for a long time, as a copy before the experts confirmed it. It is now the most expensive painting in history among antiques sold in auctions or outside such events. The painting, which has long been the subject of a dispute between Russian billionaire Dmitry Ribolovlev and Swiss art dealer Yves Bouvier, who helped him invest in art pieces, is now in the custody of an undisclosed buyer who took part in the auction by telephone.
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