Publications
Publications
- April 2022
- HBS Case Collection
Christie's and Leonardo da Vinci's Salvator Mundi: The Value of a Brand
By: Jill Avery
Abstract
A sixteenth century Renaissance masterpiece, missing for 137 years, believed by many to have been destroyed, and then rediscovered less than a decade ago, becomes the most expensive painting ever sold, all the while surrounded by controversy. Did the buyer of Leonardo da Vinci’s painting pay too much? Was it real? Did it matter? The power of the Leonardo brand and Christie’s marketing plan, which featured art world experts, Hollywood celebrities, and retailtainment, fueled a $450 million price for a painting previously sold for $10,000 just twelve years earlier.
Keywords
Brand Management; Brand Valuation; Art; Art Dealer; Auction House; Brand Storytelling; Marketing; Brands and Branding; Marketing Strategy; Fine Arts Industry; United States; Italy
Citation
Avery, Jill. "Christie's and Leonardo da Vinci's Salvator Mundi: The Value of a Brand." Harvard Business School Teaching Note 522-088, April 2022.