He was considered a polymath and genius and became one of the most famous artists from the Renaissance era as well as an exemplar of the Humanist ideals that were so prevalent during the Renaissance period.
The history surrounding Salvator Mundi is complex and boasts an extensive timeline of over 500 years. It has been proclaimed as lost, found, copied, restored, authenticated, and sold at auction.
The famous painting was supposedly commissioned by King Louis XII of France and his wife Anne of Brittany and that it would have been utilized for personal devotion.
Many sources date the painting’s re-emergence to 2005. Apparently, the painting was, by this time, “overpainted” from years of reconstruction to its surface.
The Salvator Mundi painting depicts a frontal portrait view of Jesus Christ, depicting the top half of his torso, shoulders, and head. In His left hand (our right), there is a large orb, which is held level with His chest.
The words Salvator Mundi are Latin meaning “Savior of the World”. In Christian iconography, the image of Jesus Christ with a raised right hand and left hand holding an orb is a common depiction.
The overall symbolic meaning of Jesus Christ holding the orb and raising his right hand could refer to a blessing, otherwise known as a benediction, and the idea that He is the Savior of the world.
Some of the noted pigments in “Salvator Mundi” include bone blacks, charcoal, lead white, vermilion, red lake, red iron oxide earth, lead-tin yellow, natural ultramarine, umber, and carbon.
There are various textures in the Salvator Mundi painting, and most of these are implied textures ranging from soft to hard. There is also an implied texture of the orb in Jesus Christ’s left hand (our right).
There are several examples of vertical lines in Salvator Mundi, for example, the vertical portrait orientation of Jesus Christ’s figure, which is further implied by His pointed fingers of his right hand (our left).
Some examples include the spherical forms like the orb in Jesus’s left hand, the organic circular and curved shapes from the curls of His hair, and more geometric shapes from the patterns on His robe.
In Salvator Mundi, the figure of Jesus Christ fills most of the compositional space and the darkened background creates emphasis on His figure even more.