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Michelangelo Sketch Fetches Record $27.2 Million at Auction

2/11/2026

Summary

Story summary

A drawing by Michelangelo sold for a record $27.2 million at a Christie's auction in New York.
The sketch, a study for the Libyan Sibyl on the Sistine Chapel ceiling, was auctioned after a 45-minute bidding war.
It fetched nearly 20 times its initial estimate of $1.5 to $2 million.
Andrew Fletcher, Christie's Global Head of Old Masters, stated it was likely the only chance for collectors to acquire such a significant piece.
The buyer's identity remains anonymous.

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Story summary

A drawing by Michelangelo sold for a record $27.2 million at a Christie's auction in New York.
The sketch, a study for the Libyan Sibyl on the Sistine Chapel ceiling, was auctioned after a 45-minute bidding war.
It fetched nearly 20 times its initial estimate of $1.5 to $2 million.
Andrew Fletcher, Christie's Global Head of Old Masters, stated it was likely the only chance for collectors to acquire such a significant piece.
The buyer's identity remains anonymous.