US EditionNewly discovered Michelangelo foot sketch sells for £16.9m
- At a live Old Master Drawings auction in New York, Christie's sold a Michelangelo foot study for $27.2 million on February 5, 2026, setting a new record for the artist.
- After the owner uploaded a photo to Christie's online auction estimate portal, specialists investigated; the anonymous US West Coast owner said his grandmother passed down the sheet since the late 1700s.
- Experts identified the red-chalk foot study as the right foot of the Libyan Sibyl, dated about 1511–1512, among around 50 studies for the Sistine Chapel.
- Christie's said the buyer's identity remains undisclosed, while Andrew Fletcher, global head of Christie's Old Masters Department, called the discovery `one of the most memorable moments` and `an exceptional piece with a wonderful story`.
- The result underscores demand among collectors for studies tied to the Sistine Chapel, with Christie's noting multiple bidders and highlighting recent blockbuster auction results like the $450m Leonardo sale and the November 2025 Klimt and Kahlo sales.
33 Articles
33 Articles
Dnevni list Danas
nin.rsThis is a drawing of the feet of the Libyan Sibyl, which Michelangelo later painted on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican.
A record price was paid at a New York auction for a sketch by the Italian Renaissance artist Michelangelo. The sketch of a foot, a preparatory work for his work in the Sistine Chapel in Vatican City, sold for $27.2 million, equivalent to €23.1 million. More than ten times the estimated price.
In New York, a Michelangelo sketch was auctioned. Never before has a work by him achieved such a high price.
Michelangelo's work has never achieved such a high price at an auction: a hitherto unknown study by the master has found a new owner in New York. The discovery story is spectacular.
Coverage Details
Bias Distribution
- 47% of the sources are Center
Factuality
To view factuality data please Upgrade to Premium
