Da Vinci's painting sells for $ 450 million, world record, can you believe it?

The work attributed to the Renaissance master, the only one in private hands, was bought by a salesman who at the moment is unknown.

A painting by Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519) sold for a record 450.3 million dollars at an auction on Wednesday, breaking previous marks for works of art sold at auction or privately.

The work, entitled Salvator Mundi (Salvador del Mundo), is one of less than 20 Da Vinci paintings of which one is aware and the only one in private hands. It was sold by Christie's auction house, which did not immediately identify the buyer.

The bid for the Da Vinci lasted about 20 minutes, a period rarely seen, and began with an initial price of 70 million dollars.

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Subastarán Da Vinci's only work that is in private hands

Previously, the highest figure that had been paid at auction for a work of art was 179.4 million dollars for the painting by Picasso Women of Algiers (Version O), in May 2015, also at Christie's headquarters in New York, USA).

The 66-centimeter-tall (26-inch) painting dates back to around 1500 and shows Jesus Christ dressed in a Renaissance-style robe, with his right hand raised in blessing and with his left hand holding a crystal sphere.

Salvador del Mundo was once owned by King Charles I of England and the French Enriqueta Maria, queen consort of the Anglo-Saxon country. The painting disappeared from view until 1900 when it reappeared and was acquired by a British collector; in 2005, it was finally published in an auction.