The Saviour of the World.

Leonardo da Vinci’s Salvator Mundi was bought for $450m in NY on Wednesday evening, shattering the record for the most expensive artwork ever sold.

The painting, which was once part of Charles I’s Royal collection and was sold just £45m in the 1950 when it was mistaken for a copy, is the last remaining Leonardo in private hands.

It was sold for a total amount, including fees paid by the winner to the auction house, of $450, 312,500 following 19 minutes of bidding at Christie’s in NY despite lingering questions by some experts over its authenticity and condition.

Four telephone bidders and one in the auction room dueled for the masterpiece, which had a guaranteed pre-sale bid of at least $100m.

Bidding slowed at around the $200m mark, and then one of the telephone bidders helped to push it towards $300m at the price jumped $2m at a time.

Leonardo da Vinci’s Salvator Mundi was unveiled at Christie’s in NY credit (If something is to someone's credit, they deserve praise for it) Jewel Samad (photographer based in NYC)/AFP (Agence France Presse).

“280m, Are we all done? Maybe not…”

Jussi Pylkkanen (Mr. Jussi Pylkkanen serves as the Global President of Christie's International Plc and Christie's Inc. Mr. Pylkkanen served as the President of Europe at Christie's International Plc), the auctioneer said. Amid gasps around the room, he paused and said: “It’s a historic moment: we’ll wait.’

The hammer eventually fell at $400m, leading to applause and cheers by the stunned crowd. The victor -phone bidders – was not immediately identified.

  

“Salvator Mundi is a painting of the most iconic figure in the world by the most important artist of all time,’ said

Loic Gouzer, co-chairman of post-war and contemporary art at Christie’s.

“We are extremely pleased with the record-breaking result for this remarkable and historical work.”