Michelangelo’s Foot Sketch Fetches Record $27.2 Million at Auction

A sketch of a foot drawn by the legendary artist Michelangelo Buonarroti has been sold for an astonishing $27.2 million at a Christie’s auction in New York. This sale marks a record amount for such a work of art, underscoring the enduring value of Renaissance masterpieces.

The sketch, created in red chalk, was part of Michelangelo’s preparatory work for one of the frescoes on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, painted between 1508 and 1512. Initially, the owner of the small sketch sent a photograph for valuation, unaware of its significance. Measuring barely larger than a hand, the drawing depicts a foot with the heel slightly raised from the ground and a shadow cast beneath it, according to reports from N1.

Experts from Sotheby’s conducted detailed analyses and confirmed that the sketch is indeed the work of Michelangelo, prompting the owner to proceed with its sale. The fresco in the Sistine Chapel includes the figure of the pagan prophet, the Libyan Sibyl, who turns to place a book behind her. The foot depicted in the sketch mirrors that of the Sibyl, with toes slightly curled and the heel elevated, complete with a shadow underneath.

Giada Damen, a specialist in Christie’s Old Master Drawings department, expressed the profound impact of the sketch, stating, “Standing in front of this drawing, one can grasp the full force of Michelangelo’s creative power. We can almost feel the physical energy with which he rendered the shape of the foot, pressing the red chalk firmly onto the paper.”

This sketch provides a rare glimpse into Michelangelo’s creative process, as the vast majority of his sketches have been lost to time. Some were destroyed by the artist himself, while others fell victim to early collectors or were lost during the course of his work, according to Christie’s. Only two other sketches related to the Libyan Sibyl remain: one housed in the Asmolean Museum in Oxford and another in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. In total, only around 50 sketches related to the Sistine Chapel frescoes have survived, and none have been sold at auction before.

When this sketch was put up for auction, it ignited a “bidding war,” ultimately selling for nearly twenty times its initial estimate. The artwork had been in the same family for over 200 years, having been acquired by Arman François Louis de Mestral de Sen Saforen, a Swiss diplomat who worked for the King of Denmark, during his travels across Europe in the 18th century. He passed the drawing to his nephew, and it remained in the family until recently, when they recognized its significance and decided to sell it. Christie’s has not disclosed the identity of the buyer.

The sale of this sketch not only highlights the continued fascination with Michelangelo but also reflects the high demand for rare Renaissance works in today’s art market.