Leonardo’s Legacy Celebrated in Paris, but the Big Mystery Remains
It was a momentous day at the Louvre Museum as they opened a spectacular retrospective to mark 500 years since the death of Leonardo da Vinci. Dozens of his masterworks, many borrowed from distant institutions, clinked in for a public showcase that’s been selling tickets faster than pizza in a university cafeteria.
Who’s Missing?
Hold onto your berets, because the “Salvator Mundi” is playing hide‑and‑seek on a grand scale. The painting that fetched a jaw‑dropping $450.3 million (about S$614 million) back in November 2017 is conspicuously absent. It’s currently held by an Abu Dhabi branch of the Louvre and has not been displayed publicly since the sale.
Instead, the exhibition features a replica by one of Leonardo’s apprentices. A Louvre spokesperson was tight‑lipped about whether the original ever makes an appearance in the upcoming show, which runs until February 24 next year.
Other Highlights
- The Mona Lisa—the crowd‑favorite—remains on permanent display elsewhere in the museum and is no part of this particular exhibition.
- Leonardo’s Vitruvian Man made headlines when some Italian interest groups argued it shouldn’t be loaned to France. A Venetian judge finally cleared the way, though the fragile canvas will stay at the Louvre for only eight weeks before returning home.
- Tickets have already flown off the shelves: 260,000 sold.
What People Are Saying
Alan Kanzer from New York, who was strolling at the Louvre’s courtyard during the opening, declared, “It’s supposed to be the biggest, best exhibition on Leonardo that’s taken place in an awfully long time.” And you can almost hear folks whispering that a complete Mariano’s in France, if it ever shows up. The buzz is real.
So, whether the elusive “Salvator Mundi” finally steps out of its vault or remains a masterpiece of mystery, the world is almost certainly still glued to this showcase of greatness.
