Sistine Chapel sketch by Michelangelo goes on show in Dubai

DUBAI: A previously unknown study by Italian Renaissance artist Michelangelo for perhaps his most famous work, the frescoes on the Sistine Chapel ceiling, went on show in Dubai this week, with Christie’s specialist Giada Damen on hand to convey the significance of the find to Arab News.

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The sketch of the right foot of the Libyan Sibyl, whose final form is at the far east end of the Sistine Chapel ceiling in the Vatican, will go under the hammer at a Feb. 5 auction in New York, with an estimate of $1.5 million to $2 million.

This is the first time a work by Michelangelo has gone on show in the UAE. A significant degree of grit and determination went into identifying and verifying the small sketch, which first came to light after an unsuspecting owner sent a photograph to Christie’s online Request an Auction Estimate portal.

The sketch of the right foot of the Libyan Sibyl, whose final form is at the far east end of the Sistine Chapel ceiling in the Vatican, will go under the hammer at a Feb. 5 auction in New York. (Supplied)