Overview
- The red-chalk study for the Libyan Sibyl’s right foot, dated to around 1511–1512, sold in New York for $27.2 million including fees.
- Christie’s specialists led by Giada Damen authenticated the sheet after months of research using infrared reflectography and comparisons with Metropolitan Museum drawings.
- The work surfaced when an anonymous West Coast owner submitted a photo via Christie’s online valuation portal, with provenance traced to late-18th-century European ownership.
- Bidding lasted roughly 45 minutes and propelled the lot far beyond its $1.5 million–$2 million estimate, with Andrew Fletcher placing the winning bid on behalf of a client.
- The buyer remains undisclosed, and the drawing’s rarity is notable given that only about 50 Michelangelo studies for the Sistine Chapel survive and very few are in private hands.