Leonardo frenzy in London as crowds throng to see Salvator Mundi

There has never been such a frenzy on King Street in St James's—and it’s all down to Leonardo (da Vinci not DiCaprio). Devotees of the Renaissance master are queuing up outside Christie's headquarters in London to see Salvator Mundi, Leonardo’s long-lost depiction of Christ with his right hand raised in blessing. The hallowed painting is on show for just two days (24-26 October) and only ten people at a time can see the piece (hence the Da Vinci hysteria). The work will travel to New York where it can be viewed in a pre-sale exhibition (28 October-4 November) before going under the hammer in Christie’s post-war and contemporary art sale on 15 November (the painting is estimated at $100m, and carries a third-party guarantee). Salvator Mundi belongs to the Russian billionaire Dmitry Rybolovlev and is the last painting by the artist in private hands; it was presumed lost until 2005.