NYT reported the disappearance of paintings by Leonardo da Vinci from the Museum in the UAE

Employees of the Louvre Abu Dhabi (branch of the Paris Museum in the UAE) do not know the location of the painting by Leonardo da Vinci "Savior of the world" (Salvator Mundi), which was to be exhibited in the Museum in September last year, the newspaper The New York Times (NYT), citing sources.

The canvas previously belonged to the Russian billionaire Dmitry Rybolovlev. The Department of culture and tourism of Abu Dhabi in September said that the painting "Savior of the world" will not be exhibited in the Museum, the reasons were not called.

"The staff of the Louvre in Abu Dhabi behind the scenes let us know that they know where the tracks," writes the NYT. According to the newspaper, in the Paris Louvre, too, "could not establish the location of the "Savior of the world." Between representatives of the Louvre in Paris and its branch in Abu Dhabi, consultations on this issue are underway, the French authorities are connected to them, the nyt interlocutors said.

The painting "Savior of the world" Louvre Abu Dhabi was to put on September 18. The canvas depicts Jesus Christ in blue robes holding a crystal ball. The canvas was written around 1500, for a long time it was considered lost. For the first time the picture appeared at auction in 1958, then it was sold for 45 pounds as a canvas by the master of "da Vinci school".

In 2011, it was found that the painting was painted by Leonardo himself.

Rybolovlev bought the painting in 2013 for $127.5 million from the Swiss art dealer Yves Bouvier. The Russian billionaire later sued him, accusing him of fraud in the course of this transaction: Bouvier sold Rybolovlev painting for $40 million more than he bought himself.

In November 2017, the Savior of the world was auctioned by Christie's. As a result, the canvas was sold for $450.3 million. the Picture became the most expensive work of art ever sold at auction at Christie's auction house in new York. The name of the picture of the buyer was not disclosed. It could be crown Prince of Saudi Arabia Mohammed bin Salman al Saud, reported the Associated Press, citing sources.