미켈란젤로의 바티칸 시스티나 성당 천장화를 위한 발 스케치가 2월 5일 크리스티 뉴욕 경매에서 당초 최저 예상가의 20배에 달하는 2천7백20만 달러에 낙찰됐다. 

전문가들은 붉은색 초크로 그려진 이 스케치가 미켈란젤로가 1511년-1512년경리비아 예언녀 시빌 그림을 준비하면서 그린 무릎을 굽힌 다리 습작이라고 추정했다. 

미 서부해안에 거주하는 익명의 소유자는 할머니로부터 물려받은 것으로 1700년대 후반부터 유럽에서 가족 대대로 전해내려왔다고 밝혔다. 이 소유자는 크리스티의 온라인 경매 예상가 요청 포털(Request an Estimate)에 사진을 보낸 후 미켈란젤로의 진품임을 판정받았다. 

이 드로잉은 시스티나 성당 천장화를 위한 습작 중 경매에 나온 유일한 작품이자 개인 소장품으로 알려진 미켈란젤로의 드로잉 약 10점 중 한점이다. 현재까지 남아있는 미켈란젤로의 드로잉은 약 600여점이다. 그중 시스티나 성당 관련 습작은 약 50점이다. 

Auctioneer, Georgina Hilton, sells Michelangelo's Study for a foot of the Libyan Sibyl (recto); Study of a leg with knee bent (verso) for $27,200,000

Rare Michelangelo Study for the Sistine Chapel, Newly Discovered by Christie's, Sells for $27.2M, An Artist Record at Auction

Christie's Specialist made the discovery and identified the drawing as a Study for the foot of the Libyan Sibyl on the Sistine Ceiling 

Auctioneer, Georgina Hilton, sells Michelangelo's Study for a foot of the Libyan Sibyl (recto); Study of a leg with knee bent (verso) for $27,200,000

NEW YORK – A photograph sent to Christie's online Request an Auction Estimate portal by an unsuspecting owner resulted in a major discovery: a previously unknown study by Michelangelo for perhaps his most famous work, the frescoes on the Sistine Chapel ceiling. Today, this newly discovered drawing sold for an extraordinary $27.2 million, nearly 20 times its low estimate and a record for Michelangelo at auction. The prior record was $24.3 million for another drawing, set at Christie's in Paris in 2022.  

There was approximately 45 minutes of intense bidding at Christie's in Rockefeller Center for the drawing, the only unrecorded study for the Sistine ceiling ever to come to auction, and one of only about 10 Michelangelo drawings known to be in private hands. 

Of the roughly 600 sheets by Michelangelo that survive today – only a fraction of the thousands of drawings he must have produced – this is one of just around 50 studies relating to the Sistine Chapel. 

“In 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,” said Andrew Fletcher, Christie's Global Head of Old Masters, who placed the winning bid on behalf of his client. “This was an exceptional piece with a wonderful story. We had multiple bidders in the room, on the phone, and online because this was likely to be the only chance a collector might have to acquire a study for arguably the greatest work of art every made. I'm so proud of my team for recognizing this work for what it is, and for bringing it to this point.” 

A Specialist in Christie's Old Master Drawings Department, Giada Damen, identified the powerful study in red chalk as an original drawing by Michelangelo, done in preparation for the right foot of the monumental figure of the Libyan Sibyl, at the far east end of the Sistine ceiling.  

The Michelangelo drawing was part of Christie's Old Master and British Drawings sale, which included drawings by Rembrandt, Titian, and William Blake, among many others. The sale followed the strongest Old Master Paintings sale at Christie's New York in 10 years, held the day before and totaling over $54 million. The sale included a new world record for the most celebrated female artist of the 17 Century Artemisia Gentileschi for her Self Portrait as Saint Catherine, which achieved $5.7 million, and the sale of Canaletto's masterpiece Venice, the Bucintoro at the Molo on Ascension Day, for $30.54 million. 

https://press.christies.com 

*미켈란젤로 드로잉전@메트뮤지엄, 2017

https://www.nyculturebeat.com/index.php?mid=Art2&document_srl=3660078

*MoMA, 힐마 아프 클린트 꽃 드로잉전 'Hilma af Klint: What Stands Behind the Flowers' (5/11-9/27)

https://www.nyculturebeat.com/index.php?document_srl=4159492&mid=Art2

*소더비, 렘브란트 드로잉 '새끼 사자의 휴식' 경매(예상가 최고 2천만불), 뉴욕 전시(11/8-17)

https://www.nyculturebeat.com/index.php?document_srl=4167611&mid=Lounge2

*모건라이브러리 르누아르 드로잉전(Renoir’s Drawings)

https://www.nyculturebeat.com/index.php?document_srl=4158446&mid=Lounge2

*시인 칼릴 지브란 드로잉전 'A Greater Beauty: The Drawings of Kahlil Gibran'

https://www.nyculturebeat.com/index.php?document_srl=4094193&mid=Lounge2