Summary
A painting of Jesus by the Renaissance master Leonardo da Vinci sold for a record $450 million Wednesday, smashing previous records for artworks sold at auction or privately. "Salvator Mundi" ("Savior of the World") is one of fewer than 20 known paintings by da Vinci and the only one in private hands.
The highest known sale price for any artwork had been $300 million, for Willem de Kooning's painting "Interchange," sold privately in September 2015 .
When it resurfaced the painting was acquired by a British collector.
Christie's said most scholars agree the painting is a da Vinci, though some critics have questioned the attribution.
Christie's capitalized on the public's interest in da Vinci, considered one of the greatest artists of all time, with a media campaign that labeled the painting "The Last Da Vinci".
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