A previously unknown red-chalk drawing by Michelangelo, a study for the foot of the Libyan Sibyl from the Sistine Chapel ceiling, sold for $27.2 million at Christie’s New York on Thursday, far exceeding its $1.5–$2 million estimate. The work was submitted to Christie’s online estimate portal last March by an anonymous owner who inherited it from their grandmother; it had hung on a wall for years, assumed to be a copy. After months of authentication using infrared reflectography and cross-referencing with drawings at the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Uffizi Gallery, Christie’s specialists confirmed it as an authentic Michelangelo. The sale set a new auction record for the artist, surpassing the previous $24.3 million record set at Christie’s Paris in 2022.
This discovery and record-breaking sale underscore the enduring market demand for rare Old Master works and the potential for major finds hidden in plain sight. The drawing is one of only about 600 known Michelangelo drawings, with roughly 50 related to the Sistine Chapel, making its emergence a significant art-historical event. The sale also highlights the growing role of Gulf region collectors and institutions in acquiring trophy artworks, as Christie’s specialist speculated the buyer may be from that area. The story demonstrates how digital submission portals and advanced authentication techniques are reshaping the discovery and sale of masterpieces.