Whispers are swirling about a potential game-changer in the Saudi Arabian art scene: a Louvre museum in the heart of Riyadh! This wouldn’t be just any museum, though. The rumors suggest it would house the world’s most expensive painting, Leonardo da Vinci’s “Salvator Mundi,” purchased by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman himself for a staggering $450 million in 2017.
This exciting prospect emerged in a recent BBC documentary titled “The Kingdom: The World’s Most Powerful Prince.” Professor Bernard Haykel of Princeton University shared details of a conversation he had with the Crown Prince, where the possibility of “building a very large museum in Riyadh” was discussed.
The “Salvator Mundi,” currently residing in a Geneva vault, is envisioned as the centerpiece of this ambitious project. Professor Haykel suggests Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (often referred to as MBS) believes the masterpiece will be a magnet for art enthusiasts and tourists, drawing them to Saudi Arabia. He even compared it to the Mona Lisa’s enduring allure at the Louvre in Paris, hinting at similar potential for a da Vinci masterpiece in the Kingdom.
Building a Louvre in Riyadh would be a bold move, solidifying Saudi Arabia’s growing art world ambitions. It would also perfectly align with the nation’s Vision 2030, a plan to diversify the economy beyond oil and embrace sectors like tourism.
Interestingly, this wouldn’t be the Louvre’s first foray into the Middle East. The UAE opened Louvre Abu Dhabi in 2017, a landmark collaboration with France granting the museum rights to the Louvre name until 2047.
While official confirmation for the Riyadh Louvre is still pending, the buzz is undeniable. Stay tuned for further updates on this exciting development that could reshape the Saudi Arabian art landscape!
