Leonardo Da Vinci painting of Jesus Christ acquired by Louvre Abu Dhabi in record $450m deal

Newly opened art gallery in UAE buys 500-year-old 'Salvator Mundi' at Christie's auction

"Salvator Mundi", an ethereal portrait of Jesus Christ that dates to about 1500, the last privately-owned Leonardo da Vinci painting, is on display for media at Christie's auction in New York (Christie's New York/Reuters)

A Leonardo da Vinci painting of Christ that sold in New York for a record $450 million (£336m) is heading to a museum in the United Arab Emirates.

The newly opened Louvre Abu Dhabi made the announcement on Wednesday.

The 500-year-old painting is called “Salvator Mundi,” Latin for “saviour of the world.”

It is one of fewer than 20 paintings by the Renaissance master known to exist and the only one in private hands.

Christie's auction house sold it to an anonymous buyer last month.

The New York Times reports the mystery buyer was a little-known Saudi prince according to documents it reviewed.

Christie's says it doesn't comment on the identities of buyers or sellers without their permission.

The highest known sale price for any artwork had been $300 million (£224), for Willem de Kooning's painting Interchange.

PA