NEW YORK — A painting of Christ by the Renaissance master Leonardo da Vinci sold for a record $450 million at auction on Wednesday.

It smashed previous records for artworks sold at auction or privately.

The painting, called ‘‘Salvator Mundi,’’ Italian for ‘‘Savior of the World,’’ is one of fewer than 20 paintings by Leonardo known to exist and the only one in private hands.

It was sold by Christie’s auction house, which didn’t immediately identify the buyer.

ASSOCIATED PRESS