A previously unknown Michelangelo drawing, a red chalk study for the foot of the Libyan Sibyl on the Sistine Chapel ceiling, was discovered after an owner submitted a photograph to Christie's online estimate service. The work, created around 1511–12, sold at Christie's New York for $27.2 million, far exceeding its $1.5–2 million estimate and setting a new auction record for a Michelangelo drawing. The anonymous seller inherited the piece from his grandmother, and it had been in his family since the late 1700s.
This discovery matters because it adds a rare and authenticated work to the tiny corpus of Michelangelo drawings in private hands—only about 10 exist. The record-breaking sale underscores the enduring market demand for Old Master works of exceptional provenance and historical significance. It also highlights the role of digital submission tools in uncovering major art historical finds, as well as the importance of rigorous scholarly and technical analysis in confirming attribution.