In a new profile on 60 Minutes, he opened up about an important personal inspiration and possession: one of Leonardo da Vinci's notebooks. Called the Codex Leicester, Gates scooped up the notebook for $30.8 million in 1994, making it the most valuable manuscript in the world.
The codex was sold to Bill Gates by Christie's auction house on 11 November 1994 in New York for US$30,802,500. Until 2021, the codex remained the most expensive book ever sold.
In 1994, he purchased Leonardo da Vinci's "Codex Leicester," a manuscript that dates back to the 16th century. He paid $30.8 million for the journal at auction, a price that made it the most expensive book ever sold. Gates has put the notebook out on loan to select museums this summer.
Theories abound about why he did this: One simple explanation is that he was left-handed, and that writing this way didn't smudge. The codex now belongs to the Microsoft co-founder and philanthropist Bill Gates, who bought it at auction at Christie's in 1994 for $30.8 million.
The Codex Hammer, also known as the Codex Leicester, is a coveted collector's item: named after the oil tycoon Armand Hammer, this treasure was acquired in 1994 by Bill Gates and is stored in the Bill Gates Collection in Seattle. The codex contains some indispensable texts for Leonardo research.
Codex is a Latin word used to mean "book of laws," although it's literally "tree trunk." The plural of codex is codices. Definitions of codex. an unbound manuscript of some ancient classic (as distinguished from a scroll)
The “Salvator Mundi,” said to be painted by Leonardo da Vinci and sold for a record-setting $450 million to a buyer reportedly on behalf of Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, has recently been downgraded by curators at the Prado.
It was likely purchased by the crown prince of Saudi Arabia, Mohammed bin Salman, via a proxy. The painting has not been seen publicly since the sale, and as of 2022 its whereabouts remained unknown.
Leonardo da Vinci's Salvator Mundi. Painted by one of the Renaissance greatest masters is to go under the hammer at Christie's. Titled Salvator Mundi, it is one of fewer than 20 known paintings by Leonardo and the only one in private hands.
There are eleven surviving manuscripts of his notes and drawings, amounting to thousands of pages.
Leonardo da Vinci
His estimated IQ scores range from 180 to 220 by different measures. He's one of the most celebrated painters in history, revered for his technological innovations such as flying machines, an armoured vehicle, concentrated solar power, and adding machines.
Known to be attributed to one of the Italian High Renaissance artists Leonardo Da Vinci, the painting is worth $450.3 million and was bought by Prince Badr bin Abdullah Al Saud on 15 November 2017 in an auction by Christie's in New York, setting a new record for the most expensive painting ever sold at public auction.
This is a list of the highest known prices paid for paintings. The record is approximately US$450.3 million (which includes commission), paid for Leonardo da Vinci's Salvator Mundi ( c. 1500).
Da Vinci's descendants still live in the Tuscan region of his birth and include farmers, office workers, an upholsterer and an artist. While the family name was originally rooted in its place of origin, the "da" was discarded over time.
Many other countries have banned the novel for certain periods due to the blasphemous content. Manila, India, and the Vatican are some of the countries that have either prohibited or severely rated the Code. This book has been frequently criticised for it historical and scientific inaccuracy.
People who were contemporaries of Leonardo left records that they saw him write and paint left handed. He also made sketches showing his own left hand at work. As a lefty, this mirrored writing style would have prevented him from smudging his ink as he wrote.
It was believed to have been painted between 1503 and 1506; however, Leonardo may have continued working on it as late as 1517. It was acquired by King Francis I of France and is now the property of the French Republic. It has been on permanent display at the Louvre in Paris since 1797.
Arguably the greatest collection of Leonardo da Vinci drawings in the world, owned by the Queen and normally kept away from public view at Windsor Castle, is to have its biggest public display.
Mona Lisa is in the public domain and not subject to copyright, whereas some modern works based on the original such as Marcel Duchamp's L.H.O.O.Q. are protected by copyright law.
Salvator Mundi by Leonardo da Vinci
The New York Times reported the buyer was acting for a Saudi prince, Bader bin Abdullah bin Mohammed bin Farhan al-Saud—the painting has since been under the ownership of the Saudi Arabian culture ministry.
The most expensive painting ever sold is the Salvator Mundi, the Saviour of the World in English, attributed to Leonardo da Vinci. It was painted in the 1500s and sold for $450.3 million in 2017. The painting was acquired by Mohamed bin Salman, the crown prince of Saudi Arabia.
We now know that the winning bidder being applauded at Christie's in 2017 was Mohammed bin Salman, crown prince of Saudi Arabia.
And the trophy for the most expensive art piece goes to: The Mona Lisa The Mona Lisa is believed to be worth more than $850 million, taking into account inflation.
Mona Lisa ($860 Million)
While the price tag associated with it is hard to calculate, considering it is deemed priceless; the estimated cost for the Mona Lisa price is approximately $860 Million.
This could be attributed to specific reasons, mainly it depicting Christ in the Renaissance theme and also it probably being the last work by Leonardo. Also, there are only less than twenty paintings of da Vinci known, and this particular being the only one that remained in someone's possession.