Specialist from Christie’s Discovers Unknown Michelangelo Drawing for the Sistine Chapel

Giada Damen, a specialist in the Old Master Drawings Department at Christie’s, recognized the red chalk drawing as a preparatory study for the right leg of the Libyan Sibyl, one of the iconic figures on the east side of the Sistine Chapel ceiling. This is the first undocumented drawing related to the Sistine Chapel ever to appear on the market. Such works are extremely rare—only about 10 of Michelangelo’s drawings are in private hands, with only 50 of the 600 surviving drawings related to the Sistine Chapel.

Christie’s will present the discovery live on February 5th, 2026, in New York, with an estimated price of $1.5–2 million. The work will be on display in their free, open-to-the-public galleries in Rockefeller Center, as well as at Christie’s London headquarters on King Street from November 27th to December 2nd, 2025.

“The discovery of a study related to the Sistine Chapel, a work of art that is arguably the keystone of the Italian Renaissance, has been one of the most memorable moments of my career,” said Andrew Fletcher, global head of the Old Masters Department. According to him, it is a find that inspires and fascinates experts, the art market, and the general public. For art lovers and collectors, it is the event of the year—and for the auction market, a real sensation.