I like to think of this as the passing of the mark #1 Donald Trump and #2 Jared Kusher from Putin’s control and off his bankroll onto the Saudis and the UAEs with the payment in plain sight and the back end obscured in specific detail (where did Ryobelev place his windfall) likely in the form of loan, that would never have to be repaid, as Fred Trump did so many times for Donald Dumb, to cover Kusher and and TrumpCo’s notes with Deutsche Bank It fits in that it is plausible to argue that in 2008 Ryobablev (who partnered with Deripaska in the Bank of Cyprus, along with Trump’s current Secretary of Commerce, who is the one who owned Trump’s worthless paper in his 2008 bankruptcy), played a part with Wilbur in letting Donald Trump’s financial existence continue while leaving him with very few assets. In 2018, the Russians may have closed their ownership position in Trumpco and all it’s secrets to Saudi Arabia and the UAE by allowing them to pay down Trump and Kushner debts with proceeds from their overpayment for Salvator Mundi, so Putin could still hold records of his 45 and fams beng compromised while selling the presidency as an asset to the Saudis and the UAE — knowing it would soon be of far less value to them –while making Ryiobilev whole on his botched Salvador Mundi purchase. The transaction happened within two months of Jared’s “secret” multi-day sleepover” @ MBZ’s, and we know bidding the panel up to 450 mil occurred exclusively between two allies with the crown prince of the UAE as the other bidder, The Mundi bidders knew who was on the other side and wouldn’t have bidded the questionable work up against each other unless it was somehow buying both of their nations something. It even fits that the early interchanges about this deal likely date back to Jared and Ivanka vacationing with long time art market player and gay secrets master David Geffen and with Rupert’s ex-wife, the chinese matahari, Wendy Deng. It just so happens Geffen’s yacht pinged as being a 1000 yards away from Ryobelev’s yacht of the coast of Croatia during Wendy and his vacay with the Javankas. Throw in Trump’s accounts in Cyprus and wrap it up in bow. The pieces fit in so many ways and the Russians knew the inevitability of Trump being a spent asset in the most meaningful ways given their brazen attack on our election. Don’t burn the Mark, just pass him off on a patsy while keeping him in pocket on an as needed basis. I figure Mueller’s little mentioned part two of his investigation, money laundering/rico/influence peddling,, will cover this after he finishes part I, obstruction and conspiracy, if a nobody like me can stitch together these pieces just from surfing the net. Time will tell.

It was a German medal long before the Nazi party ‘inherited’ it.

It was a german military honor.

Maybe they wanted to suppress it for those reasons – hence, why it is hidden – no one can find it.

The Iron Cross was a Nazi military medal and honor. I don’t want anything like that for Mueller. He should get the Nobel Peace Prize.

I don’t think they cared one bit about it’s religious meaning, although that’s a plausible explanation for “losing” it, if this story ever gets brighter light shone upon it. It was not, I’m sure, bought for the subject matter or the less-than-unanimous attribution to Leonardo. It was just a tool to get to the $300M. One has to ask why the bidding stopped at the number it did (which, after the buyer’s premium, netted close to the desired amount), for once it went into the art market stratosphere, it could have stopped anywhere, in a normal auction bidding war. All knowledgeable bidders at the high end auctions do research and they set a limit above which they won’t go. The two bidders needed a piece that would go in the range of the final (agreed-upon) hammer price and either one could have stopped when they got close enough. As for why this painting, there’s literally no other painting potentially on the market that would fetch near that amount, not one even the subject of gossip, as far as I know. (I know of an Old Master painting in London that might go $200M – who knows? – but the owners would never play ball with these guys and the painting is not problematical.) To pull this off, the best way would be to have a “problem” painting – which this certainly is, both in attribution and condition – so that other legitimate bidders wouldn’t mess up the plan once it went over the high estimate. Then the two bidders (I don’t think this was a mistake) could simply go at it until, for some strange reason, bidding stopped at the required number, a number that made no sense to anyone in the art market. Christie’s, which was no doubt in on the plan (and much was invested in touring this painting around the world, pre-s auction), would of course express great astonishment (as they did), which gets them off the hook regarding offering up an explanation. As a backup, Christie’s had a guarantee from some potential bidder (one of the two?), but they would never reveal that number or person unless taken to court or subpoenaed. (Christie’s got the commission because Rybolovlev was already crosswise in litigation with Sotheby’s.) Whether the buyers were involved in getting Martin Kemp’s OK on the attribution, which one would certainly want since he’s the acknowledged Leonardo expert, or just played his ego, is impossible to say. Maybe both. There’s no real “proof,” since the full provenance isn’t known. Nobody should be fooled by the speculation that Qatar was the competing bidder, because Qatar had previously turned it down at $80M.That’s simply beyond belief, so much so that I’m surprised they even floated that story. Aside from a few art historical gaffes, which are mentioned above by Hank Ebes (plus a wrong estimate on the number of agreed-upon authentic Leonardos – probably about 15, not 20), this report rings true partly because, from an art history / art market POV, it is the only rational explanation I have heard that accounts for the unbelievable hammer price. All other attempts at explanation I’ve heard have been pure subjective guesses – a naïve buyer with too much money to toss around, an egomaniac buying just to say they own the most expensive painting in the world, etc. None of that cocktail conversation brings any closure or logical satisfaction..This is an astonishing story and one to keep an eye on.

Getting tired of “whataboutism,” the malady that comes on when the fox strikes at the heart of the nation.

The painting itself, the fact it’s a Leonardo, the fact it’s a depiction of Jesus Christ, probably do not matter at all to MbS. He probably has never seen it. The story for public consumption is that he acquired a masterpiece for a great museum in SA. The real story is that he transferred a lot of money to a Russian oligarch, and the Leonardo was pretty much only the prize in the box of Cracker Jack.

Kevin:
Surely the xtian theme is one that the average American would have no trouble with? Would, in fact, applaud. Even the elected lawmakers would be taken unaware, so innocent are they as to the ways of the Muslim world.

(I’m even learning not to be surprised when people don’t recognize the connection between Wahhabis, Saudi Arabia, and 9/11).

Since the Muslims don’t “do” human representations in art, would they even think to use one of their own artists as a support for the apparent flim-flam? It’s unlikely anyone could beat daVinci in the competition to be worthy of such a large chunk of cash. So many influential westerners are associated with the art world, too. If the bidding had happened in Cairo, maybe not da Vinci, but since the National Gallery and Christie’s were important in this flim-flam, ah, yes, let’s make it a daVinci.

(I’m thinking an auction in Rome would not have gone this way…..if the painting had been accepted for auction in the first place).

For generations the House of Saud has been identified with the strict Wahhabi version of Islam, which rejects as idolatrous any depiction of the human face or form. Not only does the title of the painting, “Savior of the World,” conflict with Islam; the clear orb in Jesus’ hand obviously represents the cosmos, which medieval philosophy believed consisted of transparent, nested spheres, as memorably described by Dante. Depicting Jesus as holding the globe of the cosmos in his hand, the painting unambiguously identifies Jesus with God, expressing in graphic, iconic form the Christian doctrine most repugnant to Islam.

I don’t know, nor have a suspicion, why MbS selected this painting, but I can’t believe it was selected without regard to its religious meaning. Does anyone else have a clue?

I pray you’re right! But this Leonardo tale is the best kaper I ever heard! B

The fact that money was laundered one way or an other is not surprising , but one thing is guaranteed . A small 90% restored , unsigned Christian religious painting , bought by two Arab billionaires who own two of the world’s largest Museums in Qatar and Dubai for a massive $450 US million (from the biggest Auction House in the world after it was sold earlier by the second biggest Auction house Sotheby’s for $75) with a history of previous owners involved in deals where it was part of a 2 billion $s art deal involving a Russian oligarch with friends in high places and a Swiss dealer with a spare $80 million does make you wonder how they managed to “loose” the object currently the key to graft and corruption.

Do you believe both sides are not dirty?

Ah, yes, the typical “both sides are dirty” whinge.
Classic Putin playbook.
Care to try again?

Personally, i am tired of the collusion & corruption in Both of our major political parties…