In 2014 it was reported that Dmitry Rybolovlev, the former owner of Uralkali, had sold his last major Russian asset, Voentorg

In 2014 it was reported that Dmitry Rybolovlev, the former owner of Uralkali, had sold his last major Russian asset, Voentorg. But, as it turned out three years later, the billionaire still had something worth having left in Russia. In 2017 he began selling off his famous collection of European art, which includes works by Modigliani, Monet, Rothko, Van Gogh and Klimt.

To date Rybolovlev, who last year dropped three places in the ranking of Russia's richest businessmen (from 12th to 15th), has already managed to sell Magritte, Picasso and Gauguin. Not very profitably, however, so they say. He even went to law against the dealer who had steered these paintings into his collection. It emerged that the not unknown Yves Bouvier had swindled him and fleeced him of almost $120 million. In the end the total damage done to Rybolovlev by Bouvier was estimated at a billion dollars.

And today it became known that the Russian businessman will receive almost half a billion dollars from an anonymous buyer for a Leonardo da Vinci. Shortly before the sale, the painting suddenly began to be discussed with great fervour. And how could it not be: the last painting by the great Leonardo remaining in private hands! The canvas, Salvator Mundi, travelled to New York, Hong Kong, London and San Francisco. And that promotional campaign was well worth it.

All the same, the story of Salvator Mundi is not as transparent as many media outlets would like to present it. Firstly, the Saviour was for a long time considered the work of a pupil of Da Vinci, and leading experts argued seriously over its attribution. Secondly, I would draw your attention to the pithy formula "the last Da Vinci in a private collection": it sounds impressive, but it does not correspond to the truth. If only because this is not the only work by Leonardo in private hands.

There is, for example, the mysterious Madonna of the Yarnwinder of 1501, represented by at least three copies, two of which are insistently attributed to Da Vinci himself. One of them belongs to the Duke of Buccleuch; many try to dispute that it came from the master's hand, yet the owners argue the opposite quite persuasively.

A criminal story, incidentally, is connected with this painting: in 2003 it was stolen in broad daylight from the castle where it was kept. They simply took it out through a window and carried it off before the astonished public. One could, of course, shoot a remake of Old Men Robbers there: the thieves simply told everyone that it was a security test and that there was no need to worry. Fortunately, the painting was soon found and returned home, whence it afterwards moved to the National Gallery of Scotland.