Michelangelo's Sketch is on Display in Dubai This Week

A rare and previously unknown sketch by Italian Renaissance master Michelangelo has gone on public display in Dubai this week, marking the first time a work by the legendary artist has been exhibited in the UAE.

The drawing, a study of the right foot of the Libyan Sibyl from the Sistine Chapel ceiling, is being showcased ahead of its appearance at a Christie’s auction in New York on February 5, where it is estimated to sell for $1.5 million to $2 million.

The sketch is believed to be a preparatory study for the Libyan Sibyl, whose final painted form appears at the far eastern end of the Sistine Chapel ceiling in the Vatican.

The drawing came to light after an unsuspecting owner submitted a photograph to Christie’s online Request an Auction Estimate portal. Extensive research and verification followed, with experts confirming its authenticity through stylistic analysis and material evidence.

Of the roughly 600 surviving drawings by Michelangelo, this sketch is among only around 50 studies linked to the Sistine Chapel, making it exceptionally rare.

Michelangelo began painting the Sistine Chapel ceiling in 1508, completing the first phase two years later.

Michelangelo Buonarroti (1475–1564) remains one of the most influential figures in global art history, celebrated as a sculptor, painter, architect and thinker. His frescoes on the ceiling and back wall of the Sistine Chapel are considered among the greatest achievements of Western art.

For art lovers in the region, the Dubai display offers a rare opportunity to see an intimate working study by Michelangelo, providing a glimpse into the creative process behind one of the world’s most famous masterpieces.