The Louvre Abu Dhabi is getting a new resident.
The gallery will now house Leonardo Da Vinci’s “Salvator Mundi,” which holds the title of the most ever paid for a work of art after it was bought for $450 million.
After the identity of the buyer being the most sought-after name in the art world, with an immense amount of discretion from the buyer, it has been reported that Saudi Prince Bader bin Abdullah bin Mohammed bin Farhan al-Saud bought the painting.
The Louvre Abu Dhabi tweeted about its new addition on Wednesday
Al Saud is a friend and associate of Saudi Arabia’s crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman.
Who is the painting of?
The 'Salvator Mundi' is a painting of the central figure of Christianity, Jesus Christ as Salvator Mundi - The Saviour of the World.
The piece was created by Leonardo da Vinci, in 1500.
The painting shows Jesus, in Renaissance dress, gesturing a benediction with his raised right hand and crossed fingers.
The orb he is holding is made of a transparent rock crystal and signals his role as saviour of the world and master of the cosmos.
The orb also represents the 'crystalline sphere' of the heavens, as it was perceived during the Renaissance.