Michelangelo sketch sells for $27.2M, shattering auction record

A small red chalk sketch of a foot by Michelangelo sold for $27.2 million at Christie's in New York on February 5, 2026, shattering the auction record for any work by the Renaissance master and selling for more than 13 times its estimated price.heni+1

The 5-inch drawing, titled "Study for a foot of the Libyan Sibyl (recto); Study of a leg with knee bent (verso)," had been estimated at $1.5 million to $2 million. Instead, fierce bidding pushed it 1,713 percent above the low estimate, making it the first Sistine Chapel study ever sold at auction and one of the most remarkable results in the Old Master market in years.artsy+2

A Hidden Treasure Discovered

The drawing's journey to the auction block began when its owner, an anonymous Northern California resident, submitted a photograph to Christie's online "Request an Auction Estimate" portal. Giada Damen, a specialist in Christie's Old Master Drawings Department, recognized the work's quality and traveled to California to examine it in person.bbc+2

After six months of research, including infrared reflectography that revealed additional drawings on the reverse of the sheet, Damen brought the drawing to the Metropolitan Museum of Art and compared it with a related Michelangelo study. "I was so excited. It was clear that the two studies were by the same hand, done in the same moment," she said.news.artnet+1

The seller had inherited the drawing from his grandmother in 2002, though his family had possessed it since the late 1700s. The sheet bears an inscription, "Michelangelo Bona Roti," found on other confirmed Michelangelo works, allowing experts to trace its provenance through centuries of collectors.6sqft+1

Historic Significance

The drawing dates to approximately 1511-1512, when Michelangelo was preparing to paint the second half of the Sistine Chapel ceiling, which includes the Libyan Sibyl—one of the most memorable figures in the Vatican frescoes. Of the thousands of drawings Michelangelo created during his lifetime, only about 600 survive today, and just around 50 relate to his Sistine Chapel work.press.christies+2

Andrew Fletcher, Christie's Global Head of Old Masters, called the discovery "one of the most memorable moments of my career".bbc+1

The result easily surpassed Michelangelo's previous auction record of approximately $24.3 million, set in 2022 when "A nude man (after Masaccio) and two figures behind him" sold at Christie's Paris. The sale helped drive Christie's Old Master and British Drawings auction to a total of $30.51 million.news.artnet+2