The Italian painting Salvator Mundi (c. 1499-1510), attributed to Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519) depicts Jesus in Renaissance-style robes against a black background, posed in Salvator Mundi (or Savior of the World) iconography: right hand raised and left hand holding an orb. Long considered to be a copy of a lost original, this painting was rediscovered and restored in 2011, and later sold at Christie’s auction house in 2017 for a record breaking $450,321,500. The painting continues to be a source of controversy, as some scholars do not believe the work to be fully created by the Renaissance artist Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519). The crystal orb is one topic of such debate, others believe its lack of refracting light suggests it could not be painted by the scientifically-trained da Vinci. Others argue this is due to religious etiquette, not lack of skill. While it is still up for debate, the painting maintains an air of mystery.

Learn more about the work that inspired this pin HERE.