A previously unknown drawing by Michelangelo was sold at Christie’s auction for $27.2 million, setting a new record for the master’s works.
According to Christie’s press release, the small sketch, depicting a foot, was done in red chalk and dates from 1511-1512. The drawing was estimated to be worth $1.5-2 million before the auction.
The owner of the drawing sent a photograph for a preliminary appraisal, unaware that the work belonged to Michelangelo. An auction house expert identified it as a sketch of the right foot of the Libyan Sibyl, one of the key figures depicted on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican.
It is noted that the drawing is the only previously unregistered sketch for the Sistine Chapel frescoes ever to be offered at auction. Art historians are aware of about 10 drawings by Michelangelo, all of which are in private collections.
The lot was part of Christie’s auction dedicated to drawings by “old masters” and British painting, which also included works by Rembrandt, Titian, and William Blake.
