Italian police found a 500-year-old copy of Salvator Mundi, a painting of Jesus Christ by Leonardo da Vinci, in an apartment in Naples and then turned it into a museum, where no one had any idea it was missing.
Officials said late Monday that they had arrested the 36-year-old owner of the apartment on suspicion of taking the stolen goods after the painting was discovered in his bedroom closet. The oil painting is believed to be by artist Giacomo Alibrandi and dates back to the early 1500s.
The painting, like the original, depicts Jesus Christ with one hand raised and the other holding a crystal ball. The painting is part of the Doma Museum collection in the church of San Domenico Maggiore in Naples.
The museum has been closed due to the pandemic and no one knew it was lost. Police are now investigating how it was stolen as there was no suspicious sign.
The painting made by Alibrand is a copy of the painting that in 2017 became the most expensive painting sold in history , with a value of $ 450.3 million. At the time it was ordered by King Louis XII of France, it cost $ 60. Salvator Mundi has been called the "Holy Grail" of the ancient masters and of course it is so appreciated.
Salvator Mundi has not been seen in public since the record purchase by Arab prince Bader bin Abdullah bin Mohammed bin Farhan al-Saud. Some experts doubt the authenticity of the painting.
Sources: Forbes, Guardian, New York Times
