A previously unidentified sketch of a foot, attributed to the master artist Michelangelo, is expected to command between $1.5 million and $2 million, approximately £1.1 million to £1.47 million. Christie’s auction house is preparing to present the artwork at a live auction of Old Master Drawings in New York on Thursday.

Specialists at Christie’s have identified the sketch as a preliminary study for the Libyan Sibyl, a figure later incorporated into Michelangelo’s iconic ceiling frescos in the Sistine Chapel. The artwork’s significant value was uncovered serendipitously when its owner submitted a photograph for a standard auction appraisal.

Andrew Fletcher, the global head of Christie’s Old Masters Department, referred to the discovery as one of the most significant moments in his professional life. The delicate red chalk drawing is believed to date from approximately 1511-1512. This period coincides with Michelangelo’s work on the latter half of the Sistine Chapel ceiling, which prominently features the Libyan Sibyl.

The anonymous owner, residing on the West Coast of the United States, shared that the drawing had been inherited from his grandmother. Family history indicates the artwork has been passed down through generations in Europe since the late 1700s.

Giada Damen, a specialist within Christie’s Old Master Drawings Department, employed infrared reflectography. This advanced technique revealed additional drawings on the reverse of the sheet, also exhibiting characteristics consistent with Michelangelo’s style. Damen then compared the sketched foot directly with existing Michelangelo drawings of feet at the Metropolitan Museum, solidifying her conclusion that the piece was an original work by the artist.

The sale of valuable artworks for substantial sums is a recurring occurrence in the art market. Notable recent examples include:

In 2017, a 500-year-old painting attributed to Leonardo da Vinci, titled “Salvator Mundi,” sold in New York for a record-breaking $450 million.
November 2025 saw the sale of Gustav Klimt’s portrait of Elisabeth Lederer in New York for $236.4 million.
Also in November 2025, a surrealist painting by Frida Kahlo achieved $54.7 million, setting a new auction record for an artwork by a female artist.