Written by Gwen Levey, Arts Editor

You may remember his name from world history class, but this year Leonardo Da Vinci, one of the most famous names in not only the art world, but the entire world, is coming back to grace the news of modern times with a newly discovered masterpiece now unveiled for all to see.

The work, which measures 26 by 18.5 inches in size and is painted on oil, depicts Jesus Christ raising his right hand as he holds a clear globe in his left. Hauntingly beautiful with an earthly-colored undertone, the painting was authenticated in mid-August of this year. It was previously in the possession of a private owner by the name of Robert Simon, who refused to comment in June about how he had received the painting or what it had been priced until it was discovered that he had acquired the work at an auction in New York in 2005. Since then, others have claimed to have also had ownership of the painting, which is now said to be worth between $100 million and $200 million ever since it was officially authenticated by a group of prominent experts in the United States and Europe.

What makes this masterful discovery so paramount, however, is the finding that Salvator Mundi, or “Savior of the World”, is highly speculated to have been completed sometime in the 1490s, leading up to the creation and completion of one of the most famous Da Vinci masterpieces, The Last Supper, which depicted Christ as the main subject as well. Other experts in the art world argue that Salvator Mundi was painted in Florence around the year 1500, about the same time as another one of Da Vinci’s most famous pieces, The Mona Lisa.

Some question why it has taken so long for the public to realize that this painting could be, in fact, another Da Vinci masterpiece, even though Simon was speculated to have brought it to the conservation of the New York Metropolitan Museum of Art for delicate examination two years prior to the official authentication process. Though the painting was worn, had not been cleaned properly for years and had resin on it that had to be meticulously removed later, Simon still risked buying the piece at an auction. This turned out to be one of the greatest decisions of the art collector and expert’s life, for once the piece’s overpaint was removed, what lay below was delicate brush work undeniably completed by Da Vinci.

The discovery has sparked newfound excitement in the art world, for its authentication as Da Vinci’s work is widely considered to be one of the greatest art discoveries of the past 100 years. Still, some appraisers refuse to comment about the discovery because speculation remains about whether the piece really is one of Da Vinci’s creations. This is due mainly to the fact that the sphere depicted in the subject’s hand is unusual for Da Vinci and that the subject does not look like the Christ portrayed in The Last Supper.

According to ArtNews.com, a scholar who attended one of the examinations of the painting at the National Gallery of London said of the work, “It has been damaged and overpainted. It is not unusual for an Old Master to have been heavily restored. Paint has been lost, which is not surprising. The condition is not immaculate, but there is enough to convey an excellent impression.”