{"id":1791548,"date":"2026-02-18T01:20:56","date_gmt":"2026-02-17T22:20:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1791548"},"modified":"2026-02-18T01:20:56","modified_gmt":"2026-02-17T22:20:56","slug":"tiny-michelangelo-foot-sketch-smashes-records-selling-for-27-2-million-usd","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1791548","title":{"rendered":"Tiny Michelangelo Foot Sketch Smashes Records, Selling for $27.2 Million USD"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>[analyse_image type=&#8221;featured&#8221; src=&#8221;https:\/\/image-cdn.hypb.st\/https%3A%2F%2Fhypebeast.com%2Fimage%2F2026%2F02%2F17%2Fmichelanelo-libyan-sibyl-foot-red-chalk-drawing-christies-new-york-auction-record-sale-27-million-usd-tw.jpg?w=1080&amp;cbr=1&amp;q=90&amp;fit=max&#8221;]<\/p>\n<div class=\"col-post-body col\">\n<div class=\"row post-body\">\n<aside class=\"post-body-sidebar\">\n<div class=\"post-body-sidebar-upper\">\n<div class=\"post-body-sidebar-category d-none d-lg-block\">\n<p>    Art\n                                                                                                    <\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"post-body-sidebar-published d-none d-lg-block\"><time>Feb 17, 2026<\/time><\/div>\n<ul class=\"post-body-sidebar-hype-comments-container list-unstyled d-none d-lg-block\">\n<li><span class=\"hype-count grey\"><br \/>\n             1.3K<br \/>\n    <\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"floating-tooltip\" role=\"tooltip\"><span>Views<\/span><\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li><span class=\"disqus-comment-count\"><span>0<\/span><span>\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"d-none d-sm-inline text\">Comments<\/span><\/span>\n<div class=\"floating-tooltip\" role=\"tooltip\"><span>Comments<\/span><\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li><span class=\"text\">Save<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div class=\"post-body-sidebar-author d-none d-lg-block\">\n<hr class=\"sidebar-divider share-divider\">\n<h6>Text By<\/h6>\n<p><span class=\"author-name\">Joyce Li<\/span><\/div>\n<hr class=\"sidebar-divider d-none d-lg-block\">\n<div class=\"post-body-sidebar-share d-none d-lg-block\">\n<h6>Share this article<\/h6>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<article class=\"post-body-article\">\n<div class=\"post-gallery-container small inner-media\">\n<div class=\"gallery-container post-gallery-contain\">\n<div class=\"hb-gallery before-booted full-screen-enabled only-one-cell \" data-images=\"[{&quot;image&quot;:{&quot;description&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;image_caption&quot;:null,&quot;small&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/image-cdn.hypb.st\/https%3A%2F%2Fhypebeast.com%2Fimage%2F2026%2F02%2F17%2Fmichelanelo-libyan-sibyl-foot-red-chalk-drawing-christies-new-york-auction-record-sale-27-million-usd-001.jpg?w=480&amp;cbr=1&amp;q=90&amp;fit=max&quot;,&quot;medium&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/image-cdn.hypb.st\/https%3A%2F%2Fhypebeast.com%2Fimage%2F2026%2F02%2F17%2Fmichelanelo-libyan-sibyl-foot-red-chalk-drawing-christies-new-york-auction-record-sale-27-million-usd-001.jpg?w=720&amp;cbr=1&amp;q=90&amp;fit=max&quot;,&quot;large&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/image-cdn.hypb.st\/https%3A%2F%2Fhypebeast.com%2Fimage%2F2026%2F02%2F17%2Fmichelanelo-libyan-sibyl-foot-red-chalk-drawing-christies-new-york-auction-record-sale-27-million-usd-001.jpg?w=1080&amp;cbr=1&amp;q=90&amp;fit=max&quot;,&quot;xlarge&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/image-cdn.hypb.st\/https%3A%2F%2Fhypebeast.com%2Fimage%2F2026%2F02%2F17%2Fmichelanelo-libyan-sibyl-foot-red-chalk-drawing-christies-new-york-auction-record-sale-27-million-usd-001.jpg?w=1440&amp;cbr=1&amp;q=90&amp;fit=max&quot;,&quot;full&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/image-cdn.hypb.st\/https%3A%2F%2Fhypebeast.com%2Fimage%2F2026%2F02%2F17%2Fmichelanelo-libyan-sibyl-foot-red-chalk-drawing-christies-new-york-auction-record-sale-27-million-usd-001.jpg?w=1440&amp;cbr=1&amp;q=90&amp;fit=max&quot;},&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/hypebeast.com\/image\/2026\/02\/17\/michelanelo-libyan-sibyl-foot-red-chalk-drawing-christies-new-york-auction-record-sale-27-million-usd-001.jpg&quot;,&quot;alt&quot;:&quot;Tiny Michelangelo Foot Sketch Smashes Records, Selling for $27.2 Million USD&quot;,&quot;width&quot;:1400,&quot;height&quot;:933,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;Christie's&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;creditKey&quot;:&quot;general&quot;,&quot;description&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;annotations&quot;:null,&quot;shop&quot;:{&quot;url&quot;:null,&quot;label&quot;:&quot;Shop Now&quot;}}]\">\n<div class=\"carousel-cell landscape\" data-gallery-index=\"1\">\n<div class=\"carousel-cell-inner-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"carousel-cell-image-wrapper annotation-container fixed-ratio-3-2\">\n                                                                                                        <source data-srcset=\"https:\/\/image-cdn.hypb.st\/https%3A%2F%2Fhypebeast.com%2Fimage%2F2026%2F02%2F17%2Fmichelanelo-libyan-sibyl-foot-red-chalk-drawing-christies-new-york-auction-record-sale-27-million-usd-001.jpg?q=90&amp;w=1400&amp;cbr=1&amp;fit=max\" media=\"(min-width: 1260px)\" \/><\/div>\n<div class=\"gallery-meta-container credit-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"credit \">Christie&#8217;s<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"post-body-top-bar\" class=\"post-body-top-bar d-block d-lg-none\">\n<div class=\"row\">\n<div class=\"post-body-top-bar-share-meta-container\">\n<div class=\"post-body-top-bar-meta\"><span class=\"post-body-top-bar-category\"><\/p>\n<p>    Art<br \/>\n                                                    <\/span><span class=\"post-body-top-bar-published\"><time>Feb 17, 2026<\/time><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"post-body-top-bar-hype-comments-container \"><span class=\"hype-count grey\"><br \/>\n             1.3K<br \/>\n    <\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"floating-tooltip\" role=\"tooltip\"><span>Views<\/span><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"disqus-comment-count\"><span>0<\/span><span>\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"d-none d-none text\">Comments<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"floating-tooltip\" role=\"tooltip\"><span>Comments<\/span><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"text\">Save<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"post-body-content\">\n<p><strong>Summary<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>A previously unknown Michelangelo sketch has sold for $27.2 million USD at Christie\u2019s New York, setting a new auction record for the artist<\/li>\n<li>The drawing, a study of a foot for the Libyan Sibyl on the Sistine Chapel ceiling, was estimated to sell for just $1.5\u2013$2 million<\/li>\n<li>The work was discovered after the owner submitted a photo to Christie\u2019s online valuation portal, unaware of its true origin, becoming the only known study for the Sistine Chapel to remain in private hands<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>In a stunning upset for the art world, a palm-sized sketch of a foot by Renaissance master Michelangelo has obliterated auction expectations. The drawing, titled <em>Study of a right foot<\/em>, sold for a staggering $27.2 million USD at Christie\u2019s New York earlier this month on February 5. Originally estimated to fetch between $1.5 million USD and $2 million USD, the piece sparked a fierce 45-minute bidding war, eventually selling for nearly 20 times its low estimate and setting a new world record for a Michelangelo drawing at auction.<\/p>\n<p>The story of the sketch is as remarkable as the price. The work surfaced only recently when an unsuspecting owner from the U.S. West Coast uploaded a photo of the drawing to Christie\u2019s online valuation portal. The piece had been in his family for centuries, inherited from a grandmother who owned it as a \u201ccuriosity.\u201d Research by Christie\u2019s specialists revealed the drawing\u2019s provenance could be traced back to the late 1700s, where it was part of the collection of Swiss diplomat Armand Louis de Mestral de Saint-Saphorin.\n<\/p>\n<p>The work itself is a rare red chalk study for the Libyan Sibyl, one of the monumental figures adorning the Sistine Chapel ceiling in the Vatican. Experts identified the sketch as a preparatory drawing created around 1511\u20131512. It depicts the figure\u2019s right foot with the heel raised and toes pressed down\u2014a specific anatomical detail necessary for the Sibyl\u2019s twisting, weight-bearing pose.\n<\/p>\n<p>The $27.2 million USD sale price surpasses the previous auction record for a Michelangelo work\u2014a nude study sold in Paris in 2022 for $24.3 million. \u201cIn the 23-plus years I have been in the industry, I have been privileged to see many wonderful Old Masters moments, but today topped them all,\u201d said Andrew Fletcher, Christie\u2019s Global Head of Old Masters. With most of Michelangelo\u2019s 600 surviving sketches held in museums, this sale represented perhaps the last opportunity for a private collector to own a direct link to the Sistine Chapel.\n<\/p>\n<p>The buyer remains anonymous, but the sale underscores the market\u2019s insatiable appetite for museum-quality masterpieces. The sketch, once a forgotten family heirloom, now stands as one of the most valuable works on paper in history.<\/p>\n<div class=\"show-article\">\n<p>                                                            Read Full Article<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<footer>\n<div class=\"related-stories-main-wrapper\">\n<h3>Related Stories<\/h3>\n<div class=\"stories-container\" data-layer-list-name=\"related_stories\" data-layer-list-offset=\"0\" data-layer-list-child-selector=\".story-item\">\n<div class=\"story-item\" data-layer-item-id=\"6677102\" data-layer-item-blog-id=\"1\" data-layer-item-type=\"post\"><span>&gt;<\/span>Mr. Flower Fantastic\u2019s Orchid Show at the NYBG Celebrates City Grit With Blooming Beauty\n                                                                        <\/div>\n<div class=\"story-item\" data-layer-item-id=\"6678026\" data-layer-item-blog-id=\"1\" data-layer-item-type=\"post\"><span>&gt;<\/span>Tomokazu Matsuyama Lights Up Times Square With \u201cMorning Again\u201d\n                                                                        <\/div>\n<div class=\"story-item\" data-layer-item-id=\"6678572\" data-layer-item-blog-id=\"1\" data-layer-item-type=\"post\"><span>&gt;<\/span>Blankmag Books is New York\u2019s Living Archive of Counterculture\n                                                                        <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-email-signup-wrapper impression-tracker\">\n<h3>We got you covered. Don\u2019t miss out on the latest news by signing up for our newsletters.<\/h3>\n<div class=\"terms\">By subscribing, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"post-body-author d-block d-lg-none\">\n<hr class=\"sidebar-divider share-divider\">\n<h6>Text By<\/h6>\n<p><span class=\"author-name\">Joyce Li<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"post-body-share d-block d-lg-none\">\n<hr class=\"sidebar-divider\">\n<h6>Share this article<\/h6>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"post-body-content-tags\">\n<div class=\"body collapsed\">\n<p>    Christie&#8217;sMichelangeloChristie&#8217;s New York\n                                                            <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/footer>\n<\/article>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"post-footer\" class=\"post-footer row\">\n<div class=\"col-shopping-break\">\n<hr>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"col-comments\">\n<div id=\"comments\" class=\"post-comments none \">\n<header>\n<div class=\"heading\"><span class=\"comment-count\">0<\/span><span>Comments<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"comment-dropdown-tooltip\">\n<ul>\n<li>\n<li><\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/header>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"row post-body\">\n<aside class=\"post-body-sidebar\">\n<div class=\"post-body-sidebar-upper\">\n<div class=\"post-body-sidebar-category d-none d-lg-block\">\n<p>    Art\n                                                                                                    <\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"post-body-sidebar-published d-none d-lg-block\"><time>Feb 17, 2026<\/time><\/div>\n<ul class=\"post-body-sidebar-hype-comments-container list-unstyled d-none d-lg-block\">\n<li><span class=\"hype-count grey\"><br \/>\n             1.3K<br \/>\n    <\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"floating-tooltip\" role=\"tooltip\"><span>Views<\/span><\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li><span class=\"disqus-comment-count\"><span>0<\/span><span>\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"d-none d-sm-inline text\">Comments<\/span><\/span>\n<div class=\"floating-tooltip\" role=\"tooltip\"><span>Comments<\/span><\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li><span class=\"text\">Save<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div class=\"post-body-sidebar-author d-none d-lg-block\">\n<hr class=\"sidebar-divider share-divider\">\n<h6>Text By<\/h6>\n<p><span class=\"author-name\">Joyce Li<\/span><\/div>\n<hr class=\"sidebar-divider d-none d-lg-block\">\n<div class=\"post-body-sidebar-share d-none d-lg-block\">\n<h6>Share this article<\/h6>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<article class=\"post-body-article\">\n<div class=\"post-gallery-container small inner-media\">\n<div class=\"gallery-container post-gallery-contain\">\n<div class=\"hb-gallery before-booted full-screen-enabled only-one-cell \" data-images=\"[{&quot;image&quot;:{&quot;description&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;image_caption&quot;:null,&quot;small&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/image-cdn.hypb.st\/https%3A%2F%2Fhypebeast.com%2Fimage%2F2026%2F02%2F17%2Fmichelanelo-libyan-sibyl-foot-red-chalk-drawing-christies-new-york-auction-record-sale-27-million-usd-001.jpg?w=480&amp;cbr=1&amp;q=90&amp;fit=max&quot;,&quot;medium&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/image-cdn.hypb.st\/https%3A%2F%2Fhypebeast.com%2Fimage%2F2026%2F02%2F17%2Fmichelanelo-libyan-sibyl-foot-red-chalk-drawing-christies-new-york-auction-record-sale-27-million-usd-001.jpg?w=720&amp;cbr=1&amp;q=90&amp;fit=max&quot;,&quot;large&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/image-cdn.hypb.st\/https%3A%2F%2Fhypebeast.com%2Fimage%2F2026%2F02%2F17%2Fmichelanelo-libyan-sibyl-foot-red-chalk-drawing-christies-new-york-auction-record-sale-27-million-usd-001.jpg?w=1080&amp;cbr=1&amp;q=90&amp;fit=max&quot;,&quot;xlarge&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/image-cdn.hypb.st\/https%3A%2F%2Fhypebeast.com%2Fimage%2F2026%2F02%2F17%2Fmichelanelo-libyan-sibyl-foot-red-chalk-drawing-christies-new-york-auction-record-sale-27-million-usd-001.jpg?w=1440&amp;cbr=1&amp;q=90&amp;fit=max&quot;,&quot;full&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/image-cdn.hypb.st\/https%3A%2F%2Fhypebeast.com%2Fimage%2F2026%2F02%2F17%2Fmichelanelo-libyan-sibyl-foot-red-chalk-drawing-christies-new-york-auction-record-sale-27-million-usd-001.jpg?w=1440&amp;cbr=1&amp;q=90&amp;fit=max&quot;},&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/hypebeast.com\/image\/2026\/02\/17\/michelanelo-libyan-sibyl-foot-red-chalk-drawing-christies-new-york-auction-record-sale-27-million-usd-001.jpg&quot;,&quot;alt&quot;:&quot;Tiny Michelangelo Foot Sketch Smashes Records, Selling for $27.2 Million USD&quot;,&quot;width&quot;:1400,&quot;height&quot;:933,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;Christie's&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;creditKey&quot;:&quot;general&quot;,&quot;description&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;annotations&quot;:null,&quot;shop&quot;:{&quot;url&quot;:null,&quot;label&quot;:&quot;Shop Now&quot;}}]\">\n<div class=\"carousel-cell landscape\" data-gallery-index=\"1\">\n<div class=\"carousel-cell-inner-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"carousel-cell-image-wrapper annotation-container fixed-ratio-3-2\">\n                                                                                                        <source data-srcset=\"https:\/\/image-cdn.hypb.st\/https%3A%2F%2Fhypebeast.com%2Fimage%2F2026%2F02%2F17%2Fmichelanelo-libyan-sibyl-foot-red-chalk-drawing-christies-new-york-auction-record-sale-27-million-usd-001.jpg?q=90&amp;w=1400&amp;cbr=1&amp;fit=max\" media=\"(min-width: 1260px)\" \/><\/div>\n<div class=\"gallery-meta-container credit-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"credit \">Christie&#8217;s<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"post-body-top-bar\" class=\"post-body-top-bar d-block d-lg-none\">\n<div class=\"row\">\n<div class=\"post-body-top-bar-share-meta-container\">\n<div class=\"post-body-top-bar-meta\"><span class=\"post-body-top-bar-category\"><\/p>\n<p>    Art<br \/>\n                                                    <\/span><span class=\"post-body-top-bar-published\"><time>Feb 17, 2026<\/time><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"post-body-top-bar-hype-comments-container \"><span class=\"hype-count grey\"><br \/>\n             1.3K<br \/>\n    <\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"floating-tooltip\" role=\"tooltip\"><span>Views<\/span><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"disqus-comment-count\"><span>0<\/span><span>\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"d-none d-none text\">Comments<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"floating-tooltip\" role=\"tooltip\"><span>Comments<\/span><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"text\">Save<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"post-body-content\">\n<p><strong>Summary<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>A previously unknown Michelangelo sketch has sold for $27.2 million USD at Christie\u2019s New York, setting a new auction record for the artist<\/li>\n<li>The drawing, a study of a foot for the Libyan Sibyl on the Sistine Chapel ceiling, was estimated to sell for just $1.5\u2013$2 million<\/li>\n<li>The work was discovered after the owner submitted a photo to Christie\u2019s online valuation portal, unaware of its true origin, becoming the only known study for the Sistine Chapel to remain in private hands<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>In a stunning upset for the art world, a palm-sized sketch of a foot by Renaissance master Michelangelo has obliterated auction expectations. The drawing, titled <em>Study of a right foot<\/em>, sold for a staggering $27.2 million USD at Christie\u2019s New York earlier this month on February 5. Originally estimated to fetch between $1.5 million USD and $2 million USD, the piece sparked a fierce 45-minute bidding war, eventually selling for nearly 20 times its low estimate and setting a new world record for a Michelangelo drawing at auction.<\/p>\n<p>The story of the sketch is as remarkable as the price. The work surfaced only recently when an unsuspecting owner from the U.S. West Coast uploaded a photo of the drawing to Christie\u2019s online valuation portal. The piece had been in his family for centuries, inherited from a grandmother who owned it as a \u201ccuriosity.\u201d Research by Christie\u2019s specialists revealed the drawing\u2019s provenance could be traced back to the late 1700s, where it was part of the collection of Swiss diplomat Armand Louis de Mestral de Saint-Saphorin.\n<\/p>\n<p>The work itself is a rare red chalk study for the Libyan Sibyl, one of the monumental figures adorning the Sistine Chapel ceiling in the Vatican. Experts identified the sketch as a preparatory drawing created around 1511\u20131512. It depicts the figure\u2019s right foot with the heel raised and toes pressed down\u2014a specific anatomical detail necessary for the Sibyl\u2019s twisting, weight-bearing pose.\n<\/p>\n<p>The $27.2 million USD sale price surpasses the previous auction record for a Michelangelo work\u2014a nude study sold in Paris in 2022 for $24.3 million. \u201cIn the 23-plus years I have been in the industry, I have been privileged to see many wonderful Old Masters moments, but today topped them all,\u201d said Andrew Fletcher, Christie\u2019s Global Head of Old Masters. With most of Michelangelo\u2019s 600 surviving sketches held in museums, this sale represented perhaps the last opportunity for a private collector to own a direct link to the Sistine Chapel.\n<\/p>\n<p>The buyer remains anonymous, but the sale underscores the market\u2019s insatiable appetite for museum-quality masterpieces. The sketch, once a forgotten family heirloom, now stands as one of the most valuable works on paper in history.<\/p>\n<div class=\"show-article\">\n<p>                                                            Read Full Article<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<footer>\n<div class=\"related-stories-main-wrapper\">\n<h3>Related Stories<\/h3>\n<div class=\"stories-container\" data-layer-list-name=\"related_stories\" data-layer-list-offset=\"0\" data-layer-list-child-selector=\".story-item\">\n<div class=\"story-item\" data-layer-item-id=\"6677102\" data-layer-item-blog-id=\"1\" data-layer-item-type=\"post\"><span>&gt;<\/span>Mr. Flower Fantastic\u2019s Orchid Show at the NYBG Celebrates City Grit With Blooming Beauty\n                                                                        <\/div>\n<div class=\"story-item\" data-layer-item-id=\"6678026\" data-layer-item-blog-id=\"1\" data-layer-item-type=\"post\"><span>&gt;<\/span>Tomokazu Matsuyama Lights Up Times Square With \u201cMorning Again\u201d\n                                                                        <\/div>\n<div class=\"story-item\" data-layer-item-id=\"6678572\" data-layer-item-blog-id=\"1\" data-layer-item-type=\"post\"><span>&gt;<\/span>Blankmag Books is New York\u2019s Living Archive of Counterculture\n                                                                        <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-email-signup-wrapper impression-tracker\">\n<h3>We got you covered. Don\u2019t miss out on the latest news by signing up for our newsletters.<\/h3>\n<div class=\"terms\">By subscribing, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"post-body-author d-block d-lg-none\">\n<hr class=\"sidebar-divider share-divider\">\n<h6>Text By<\/h6>\n<p><span class=\"author-name\">Joyce Li<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"post-body-share d-block d-lg-none\">\n<hr class=\"sidebar-divider\">\n<h6>Share this article<\/h6>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"post-body-content-tags\">\n<div class=\"body collapsed\">\n<p>    Christie&#8217;sMichelangeloChristie&#8217;s New York\n                                                            <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/footer>\n<\/article>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"post-body-sidebar-upper\">\n<div class=\"post-body-sidebar-category d-none d-lg-block\">\n<p>    Art\n                                                                                                    <\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"post-body-sidebar-published d-none d-lg-block\"><time>Feb 17, 2026<\/time><\/div>\n<ul class=\"post-body-sidebar-hype-comments-container list-unstyled d-none d-lg-block\">\n<li><span class=\"hype-count grey\"><br \/>\n             1.3K<br \/>\n    <\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"floating-tooltip\" role=\"tooltip\"><span>Views<\/span><\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li><span class=\"disqus-comment-count\"><span>0<\/span><span>\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"d-none d-sm-inline text\">Comments<\/span><\/span>\n<div class=\"floating-tooltip\" role=\"tooltip\"><span>Comments<\/span><\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li><span class=\"text\">Save<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div class=\"post-body-sidebar-author d-none d-lg-block\">\n<hr class=\"sidebar-divider share-divider\">\n<h6>Text By<\/h6>\n<p><span class=\"author-name\">Joyce Li<\/span><\/div>\n<hr class=\"sidebar-divider d-none d-lg-block\">\n<div class=\"post-body-sidebar-share d-none d-lg-block\">\n<h6>Share this article<\/h6>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"post-body-sidebar-category d-none d-lg-block\">\n<p>    Art\n                                                                                                    <\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"post-body-sidebar-published d-none d-lg-block\"><time>Feb 17, 2026<\/time><\/div>\n<div class=\"post-body-sidebar-author d-none d-lg-block\">\n<hr class=\"sidebar-divider share-divider\">\n<h6>Text By<\/h6>\n<p><span class=\"author-name\">Joyce Li<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"post-body-sidebar-share d-none d-lg-block\">\n<h6>Share this article<\/h6>\n<\/div>\n<article class=\"post-body-article\">\n<div class=\"post-gallery-container small inner-media\">\n<div class=\"gallery-container post-gallery-contain\">\n<div class=\"hb-gallery before-booted full-screen-enabled only-one-cell \" data-images=\"[{&quot;image&quot;:{&quot;description&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;image_caption&quot;:null,&quot;small&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/image-cdn.hypb.st\/https%3A%2F%2Fhypebeast.com%2Fimage%2F2026%2F02%2F17%2Fmichelanelo-libyan-sibyl-foot-red-chalk-drawing-christies-new-york-auction-record-sale-27-million-usd-001.jpg?w=480&amp;cbr=1&amp;q=90&amp;fit=max&quot;,&quot;medium&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/image-cdn.hypb.st\/https%3A%2F%2Fhypebeast.com%2Fimage%2F2026%2F02%2F17%2Fmichelanelo-libyan-sibyl-foot-red-chalk-drawing-christies-new-york-auction-record-sale-27-million-usd-001.jpg?w=720&amp;cbr=1&amp;q=90&amp;fit=max&quot;,&quot;large&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/image-cdn.hypb.st\/https%3A%2F%2Fhypebeast.com%2Fimage%2F2026%2F02%2F17%2Fmichelanelo-libyan-sibyl-foot-red-chalk-drawing-christies-new-york-auction-record-sale-27-million-usd-001.jpg?w=1080&amp;cbr=1&amp;q=90&amp;fit=max&quot;,&quot;xlarge&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/image-cdn.hypb.st\/https%3A%2F%2Fhypebeast.com%2Fimage%2F2026%2F02%2F17%2Fmichelanelo-libyan-sibyl-foot-red-chalk-drawing-christies-new-york-auction-record-sale-27-million-usd-001.jpg?w=1440&amp;cbr=1&amp;q=90&amp;fit=max&quot;,&quot;full&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/image-cdn.hypb.st\/https%3A%2F%2Fhypebeast.com%2Fimage%2F2026%2F02%2F17%2Fmichelanelo-libyan-sibyl-foot-red-chalk-drawing-christies-new-york-auction-record-sale-27-million-usd-001.jpg?w=1440&amp;cbr=1&amp;q=90&amp;fit=max&quot;},&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/hypebeast.com\/image\/2026\/02\/17\/michelanelo-libyan-sibyl-foot-red-chalk-drawing-christies-new-york-auction-record-sale-27-million-usd-001.jpg&quot;,&quot;alt&quot;:&quot;Tiny Michelangelo Foot Sketch Smashes Records, Selling for $27.2 Million USD&quot;,&quot;width&quot;:1400,&quot;height&quot;:933,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;Christie's&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;creditKey&quot;:&quot;general&quot;,&quot;description&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;annotations&quot;:null,&quot;shop&quot;:{&quot;url&quot;:null,&quot;label&quot;:&quot;Shop Now&quot;}}]\">\n<div class=\"carousel-cell landscape\" data-gallery-index=\"1\">\n<div class=\"carousel-cell-inner-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"carousel-cell-image-wrapper annotation-container fixed-ratio-3-2\">\n                                                                                                        <source data-srcset=\"https:\/\/image-cdn.hypb.st\/https%3A%2F%2Fhypebeast.com%2Fimage%2F2026%2F02%2F17%2Fmichelanelo-libyan-sibyl-foot-red-chalk-drawing-christies-new-york-auction-record-sale-27-million-usd-001.jpg?q=90&amp;w=1400&amp;cbr=1&amp;fit=max\" media=\"(min-width: 1260px)\" \/><\/div>\n<div class=\"gallery-meta-container credit-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"credit \">Christie&#8217;s<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"post-body-top-bar\" class=\"post-body-top-bar d-block d-lg-none\">\n<div class=\"row\">\n<div class=\"post-body-top-bar-share-meta-container\">\n<div class=\"post-body-top-bar-meta\"><span class=\"post-body-top-bar-category\"><\/p>\n<p>    Art<br \/>\n                                                    <\/span><span class=\"post-body-top-bar-published\"><time>Feb 17, 2026<\/time><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"post-body-top-bar-hype-comments-container \"><span class=\"hype-count grey\"><br \/>\n             1.3K<br \/>\n    <\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"floating-tooltip\" role=\"tooltip\"><span>Views<\/span><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"disqus-comment-count\"><span>0<\/span><span>\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"d-none d-none text\">Comments<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"floating-tooltip\" role=\"tooltip\"><span>Comments<\/span><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"text\">Save<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"post-body-content\">\n<p><strong>Summary<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>A previously unknown Michelangelo sketch has sold for $27.2 million USD at Christie\u2019s New York, setting a new auction record for the artist<\/li>\n<li>The drawing, a study of a foot for the Libyan Sibyl on the Sistine Chapel ceiling, was estimated to sell for just $1.5\u2013$2 million<\/li>\n<li>The work was discovered after the owner submitted a photo to Christie\u2019s online valuation portal, unaware of its true origin, becoming the only known study for the Sistine Chapel to remain in private hands<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>In a stunning upset for the art world, a palm-sized sketch of a foot by Renaissance master Michelangelo has obliterated auction expectations. The drawing, titled <em>Study of a right foot<\/em>, sold for a staggering $27.2 million USD at Christie\u2019s New York earlier this month on February 5. Originally estimated to fetch between $1.5 million USD and $2 million USD, the piece sparked a fierce 45-minute bidding war, eventually selling for nearly 20 times its low estimate and setting a new world record for a Michelangelo drawing at auction.<\/p>\n<p>The story of the sketch is as remarkable as the price. The work surfaced only recently when an unsuspecting owner from the U.S. West Coast uploaded a photo of the drawing to Christie\u2019s online valuation portal. The piece had been in his family for centuries, inherited from a grandmother who owned it as a \u201ccuriosity.\u201d Research by Christie\u2019s specialists revealed the drawing\u2019s provenance could be traced back to the late 1700s, where it was part of the collection of Swiss diplomat Armand Louis de Mestral de Saint-Saphorin.\n<\/p>\n<p>The work itself is a rare red chalk study for the Libyan Sibyl, one of the monumental figures adorning the Sistine Chapel ceiling in the Vatican. Experts identified the sketch as a preparatory drawing created around 1511\u20131512. It depicts the figure\u2019s right foot with the heel raised and toes pressed down\u2014a specific anatomical detail necessary for the Sibyl\u2019s twisting, weight-bearing pose.\n<\/p>\n<p>The $27.2 million USD sale price surpasses the previous auction record for a Michelangelo work\u2014a nude study sold in Paris in 2022 for $24.3 million. \u201cIn the 23-plus years I have been in the industry, I have been privileged to see many wonderful Old Masters moments, but today topped them all,\u201d said Andrew Fletcher, Christie\u2019s Global Head of Old Masters. With most of Michelangelo\u2019s 600 surviving sketches held in museums, this sale represented perhaps the last opportunity for a private collector to own a direct link to the Sistine Chapel.\n<\/p>\n<p>The buyer remains anonymous, but the sale underscores the market\u2019s insatiable appetite for museum-quality masterpieces. The sketch, once a forgotten family heirloom, now stands as one of the most valuable works on paper in history.<\/p>\n<div class=\"show-article\">\n<p>                                                            Read Full Article<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<footer>\n<div class=\"related-stories-main-wrapper\">\n<h3>Related Stories<\/h3>\n<div class=\"stories-container\" data-layer-list-name=\"related_stories\" data-layer-list-offset=\"0\" data-layer-list-child-selector=\".story-item\">\n<div class=\"story-item\" data-layer-item-id=\"6677102\" data-layer-item-blog-id=\"1\" data-layer-item-type=\"post\"><span>&gt;<\/span>Mr. Flower Fantastic\u2019s Orchid Show at the NYBG Celebrates City Grit With Blooming Beauty\n                                                                        <\/div>\n<div class=\"story-item\" data-layer-item-id=\"6678026\" data-layer-item-blog-id=\"1\" data-layer-item-type=\"post\"><span>&gt;<\/span>Tomokazu Matsuyama Lights Up Times Square With \u201cMorning Again\u201d\n                                                                        <\/div>\n<div class=\"story-item\" data-layer-item-id=\"6678572\" data-layer-item-blog-id=\"1\" data-layer-item-type=\"post\"><span>&gt;<\/span>Blankmag Books is New York\u2019s Living Archive of Counterculture\n                                                                        <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-email-signup-wrapper impression-tracker\">\n<h3>We got you covered. Don\u2019t miss out on the latest news by signing up for our newsletters.<\/h3>\n<div class=\"terms\">By subscribing, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"post-body-author d-block d-lg-none\">\n<hr class=\"sidebar-divider share-divider\">\n<h6>Text By<\/h6>\n<p><span class=\"author-name\">Joyce Li<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"post-body-share d-block d-lg-none\">\n<hr class=\"sidebar-divider\">\n<h6>Share this article<\/h6>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"post-body-content-tags\">\n<div class=\"body collapsed\">\n<p>    Christie&#8217;sMichelangeloChristie&#8217;s New York\n                                                            <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/footer>\n<\/article>\n<div id=\"post-body-top-bar\" class=\"post-body-top-bar d-block d-lg-none\">\n<div class=\"row\">\n<div class=\"post-body-top-bar-share-meta-container\">\n<div class=\"post-body-top-bar-meta\"><span class=\"post-body-top-bar-category\"><\/p>\n<p>    Art<br \/>\n                                                    <\/span><span class=\"post-body-top-bar-published\"><time>Feb 17, 2026<\/time><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"post-body-top-bar-hype-comments-container \"><span class=\"hype-count grey\"><br \/>\n             1.3K<br \/>\n    <\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"floating-tooltip\" role=\"tooltip\"><span>Views<\/span><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"disqus-comment-count\"><span>0<\/span><span>\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"d-none d-none text\">Comments<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"floating-tooltip\" role=\"tooltip\"><span>Comments<\/span><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"text\">Save<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"post-body-top-bar-share-meta-container\">\n<div class=\"post-body-top-bar-meta\"><span class=\"post-body-top-bar-category\"><\/p>\n<p>    Art<br \/>\n                                                    <\/span><span class=\"post-body-top-bar-published\"><time>Feb 17, 2026<\/time><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"post-body-top-bar-meta\"><span class=\"post-body-top-bar-category\"><\/p>\n<p>    Art<br \/>\n                                                    <\/span><span class=\"post-body-top-bar-published\"><time>Feb 17, 2026<\/time><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"post-body-top-bar-hype-comments-container \"><span class=\"hype-count grey\"><br \/>\n             1.3K<br \/>\n    <\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"floating-tooltip\" role=\"tooltip\"><span>Views<\/span><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"disqus-comment-count\"><span>0<\/span><span>\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"d-none d-none text\">Comments<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"floating-tooltip\" role=\"tooltip\"><span>Comments<\/span><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"text\">Save<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"post-body-content\">\n<p><strong>Summary<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>A previously unknown Michelangelo sketch has sold for $27.2 million USD at Christie\u2019s New York, setting a new auction record for the artist<\/li>\n<li>The drawing, a study of a foot for the Libyan Sibyl on the Sistine Chapel ceiling, was estimated to sell for just $1.5\u2013$2 million<\/li>\n<li>The work was discovered after the owner submitted a photo to Christie\u2019s online valuation portal, unaware of its true origin, becoming the only known study for the Sistine Chapel to remain in private hands<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>In a stunning upset for the art world, a palm-sized sketch of a foot by Renaissance master Michelangelo has obliterated auction expectations. The drawing, titled <em>Study of a right foot<\/em>, sold for a staggering $27.2 million USD at Christie\u2019s New York earlier this month on February 5. Originally estimated to fetch between $1.5 million USD and $2 million USD, the piece sparked a fierce 45-minute bidding war, eventually selling for nearly 20 times its low estimate and setting a new world record for a Michelangelo drawing at auction.<\/p>\n<p>The story of the sketch is as remarkable as the price. The work surfaced only recently when an unsuspecting owner from the U.S. West Coast uploaded a photo of the drawing to Christie\u2019s online valuation portal. The piece had been in his family for centuries, inherited from a grandmother who owned it as a \u201ccuriosity.\u201d Research by Christie\u2019s specialists revealed the drawing\u2019s provenance could be traced back to the late 1700s, where it was part of the collection of Swiss diplomat Armand Louis de Mestral de Saint-Saphorin.\n<\/p>\n<p>The work itself is a rare red chalk study for the Libyan Sibyl, one of the monumental figures adorning the Sistine Chapel ceiling in the Vatican. Experts identified the sketch as a preparatory drawing created around 1511\u20131512. It depicts the figure\u2019s right foot with the heel raised and toes pressed down\u2014a specific anatomical detail necessary for the Sibyl\u2019s twisting, weight-bearing pose.\n<\/p>\n<p>The $27.2 million USD sale price surpasses the previous auction record for a Michelangelo work\u2014a nude study sold in Paris in 2022 for $24.3 million. \u201cIn the 23-plus years I have been in the industry, I have been privileged to see many wonderful Old Masters moments, but today topped them all,\u201d said Andrew Fletcher, Christie\u2019s Global Head of Old Masters. With most of Michelangelo\u2019s 600 surviving sketches held in museums, this sale represented perhaps the last opportunity for a private collector to own a direct link to the Sistine Chapel.\n<\/p>\n<p>The buyer remains anonymous, but the sale underscores the market\u2019s insatiable appetite for museum-quality masterpieces. The sketch, once a forgotten family heirloom, now stands as one of the most valuable works on paper in history.<\/p>\n<div class=\"show-article\">\n<p>                                                            Read Full Article<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"post-body-author d-block d-lg-none\">\n<hr class=\"sidebar-divider share-divider\">\n<h6>Text By<\/h6>\n<p><span class=\"author-name\">Joyce Li<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"post-body-share d-block d-lg-none\">\n<hr class=\"sidebar-divider\">\n<h6>Share this article<\/h6>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"post-body-content-tags\">\n<div class=\"body collapsed\">\n<p>    Christie&#8217;sMichelangeloChristie&#8217;s New York\n                                                            <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>[analyse_source url=&#8221;https:\/\/hypebeast.com\/2026\/2\/michelanelo-libyan-sibyl-foot-red-chalk-drawing-christies-new-york-auction-record-sale-27-million-usd&#8221;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>[analyse_image type=&#8221;featured&#8221; src=&#8221;https:\/\/image-cdn.hypb.st\/https%3A%2F%2Fhypebeast.com%2Fimage%2F2026%2F02%2F17%2Fmichelanelo-libyan-sibyl-foot-red-chalk-drawing-christies-new-york-auction-record-sale-27-million-usd-tw.jpg?w=1080&amp;cbr=1&amp;q=90&amp;fit=max&#8221;] Art Feb 17, 2026 1.3K Views 0\u00a0Comments Comments Save Text By Joyce Li Share this article Christie&#8217;s Art Feb 17, 2026 1.3K Views 0\u00a0Comments Comments Save Summary A previously unknown Michelangelo sketch has sold for $27.2 million USD at Christie\u2019s New York, setting a new auction record for the artist The drawing, [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[226,39],"class_list":["post-1791548","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-politics","tag-crawlmanager","tag-hypebeast-com"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1791548","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1791548"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1791548\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1791548"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1791548"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1791548"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}