Michelangelo's Lost Study: A $2 Million Sketch of a Foot Emerges for Auction

1 week ago7 min read4 comments

A rediscovered five-inch drawing of a foot, attributed to Michelangelo, is set for auction with a pre-sale estimate of up to $2 million. The work, emerging from a long-held private European collection, offers a rare glimpse into the Renaissance master's creative process.Executed in red chalk—a medium Michelangelo prized for its ability to render anatomy with warmth and precision—the sketch is a preparatory study. Its powerful articulation of muscle and weight suggests a connection to his major projects, such as the Sistine Chapel or Medici Chapel sculptures.Christie's, presenting the work, has supported the attribution with expert analysis and provenance research, though the inherent mystery of an unsigned Old Master drawing adds to its allure. The market for such historic works remains robust, driven by institutional and private collectors seeking singular artifacts.A sale at this estimate would not only mark a major auction event but also validate the drawing's significance within Michelangelo's known oeuvre. Its survival highlights a Renaissance reality: such studies were utilitarian, often discarded workshop documents. Their preservation allows modern viewers to witness the artist's foundational struggle to extract divine form from mere gesture and line.

#Michelangelo

#drawing

#sketch

#auction

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#featured

#Renaissance art

#discovery

#fine art

#old masters

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