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A previously unknown drawing by Michelangelo sold at Christie's for $27.2 million, setting a record for any graphic work by the artist sold at auction, the auction house's press service reported.
As specified, the initial estimate of the lot before the start of the auction was 1.5-2 million dollars, but interest from collectors significantly exceeded experts' expectations.
According to Christie's, the owner of the work submitted an image of the drawing through the auction house's online portal for a preliminary examination. Experts determined that the work is a sketch of the right foot of the Libyan Sibyl, one of the key figures on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican.
The drawing is done in red chalk and dates back to 1511–1512, the period when Michelangelo was working on the second part of the Sistine Chapel ceiling painting.
The auction house noted that this sketch is the only previously unrecorded preparatory drawing for the Sistine Chapel to have ever been offered at public auction. Furthermore, it is one of approximately ten known works by Michelangelo held in private collections.
The sold lot was included in Christie's special auction dedicated to Old Master drawings and British painting. In addition to the Michelangelo, the sale also featured works by Rembrandt, Titian, and William Blake.
It was previously reported that Christie's auction house recorded total sales of $6.2 billion in 2025, a 6 percent increase over the previous year. Public auction sales totaled $4.7 billion, an 8 percent increase, while private transactions accounted for another $1.5 billion.
