The Louvre Abu Dhabi's unveiling of the Salvator Mundi, a 500-year-old painting of Jesus Christ by Leonardo da Vinci, has been postponed, it was announced.

The painting, which was bought at a Christie's auction last year for a record $450 million, was due to be unveiled on September 18.

The "postponement of the unveiling of Leonardo da Vinci’s Salvator Mundi" was announced in a tweet by Abu Dhabi's culture and tourism department.

“More details will be announced soon,” it said.

The Salvator Mundi, painted in the 1500s, is only one of the fewer than 20 paintings in existence acknowledged as being the work of the famed Renaissance master.

Considered to be one of the most expensive paintings in the world , the Salvator Mundi was reportedly bought by a member of the Saudi royal family. - TradeArabia News Service