A painting by Leonardo da Vinci set a record on Wednesday night, selling for $450.3 million at an auction. The painting, titled "Salvator Mundi," easily surpassed the price of previous most-expensive painting, Picasso's "Women of Algiers," which sold for $179.4 million in May 2015. The new owner of the painting wasn't initially revealed.
During the auction at Christie's, there were audible gasps as the price rose by tens of millions to $225 million, then by $5 million increments and then by twos before the high bidder finally won out. At one point, when a potential buyer considered another bid, the auctioneer noted, "It's an historic moment; we'll wait."
The painting depicts Jesus with his right hand raised and holding an crystal orb in his left. (The New York Times)