- Title: Rare Michelangelo drawing expected to raise 30 million euros at Paris auction
- Date: 5th April 2022
- Summary: PARIS, FRANCE (APRIL 5, 2022) (REUTERS) CHRISTIE'S INTERNATIONAL HEAD OF DEPARTMENT FOR OLD MASTER DRAWINGS, STIJN ALSTEENS, PLACING MICHELANGELO'S DRAWING 'A NUDE YOUNG MAN (AFTER MASACCIO) SURROUNDED BY TWO FIGURES' ON EASEL DRAWING ON EASEL DETAIL OF DRAWING (SOUNDBITE) (English) CHRISTIE'S INTERNATIONAL HEAD OF DEPARTMENT FOR OLD MASTER DRAWINGS, STIJN ALSTEENS, SAYING: "This drawing I think is one of the most exciting discoveries made in the field of Old Masters drawings in a long time. It is a work by the fairly young Michelangelo made around the time he was 20 and was living in Florence, his native town." VARIOUS OF ALSTEENS PUTTING DRAWING IN FRAME ALSTEENS PLACING FRAME ON EASEL (SOUNDBITE) (English) CHRISTIE'S INTERNATIONAL HEAD OF DEPARTMENT FOR OLD MASTER DRAWINGS, STIJN ALSTEENS, SAYING: "It shows Michelangelo doing two things at the same time, looking back at artists that preceded him, in this particular case Masaccio, as well as looking forward to his own work and the revolutionary aspect of it. In particular the depiction of the human body which becomes such an important part both in the sculptures, I think of the David in Florence, or the many many figures he painted in the Sistine Chapel." DRAWING (SOUNDBITE) (English) CHRISTIE'S INTERNATIONAL HEAD OF DEPARTMENT FOR OLD MASTER DRAWINGS, STIJN ALSTEENS, SAYING: "I think what is exceptional about the drawing is that we see on the market a work by one of the greatest artists in western art history. Very few drawings and very few works by his hands remain in private hands." DETAIL OF DRAWING DRAWING DETAIL OF DRAWING (SOUNDBITE) (English) CHRISTIE'S INTERNATIONAL HEAD OF DEPARTMENT FOR OLD MASTER DRAWINGS, STIJN ALSTEENS, SAYING: "Drawings by comparable artists, I am thinking of Leonardo Da Vinci but in particular of Raphael have sold for much higher prices in 2009 and 2011. Two drawings by Raphael, an Italian contemporary of Michelangelo, sold for the equivalent of roughly 45 million dollars, which is why we think that the estimate of this drawing in the region of 30 million is reasonable and attractive." DRAWING ON EASEL
- Embargoed: 19th April 2022 14:53
- Keywords: art artist auction christie's florence france italian michelangelo paris
- Location: PARIS, FRANCE
- City: PARIS, FRANCE
- Country: France
- Topics: Arts/Culture/Entertainment,Europe
- Reuters ID: LVA001967705042022RP1
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: A previously unknown drawing by Michaelangelo will be offered for sale by Christie's that they expect to fetch 30 million euros ($32.77 million), the British auction house said on Tuesday (April 5).
The drawing, one of the few works of the Italian artist in private hands, was sold in 1907 in Paris and billed as a work of the school of Michaelangelo. It was largely forgotten until 2019, when a Christie's specialist recognised it as one of Michaelangelo's works.
The drawing is thought to be one of Michaelangelo's early works, dating to the end of the 15th century. It reproduces a shivering man depicted in a fresco, "Baptism of the Neophytes", by Masaccio. Two other people stand near him in the drawing.
The work had been designated a French national treasure, which barred it from being exported from the country for 30 months. But the French government recently removed the designation, allowing the drawing to be offered without restriction to collectors anywhere in the world, Christie's said.
The drawing is scheduled to be exhibited in Hong Kong and New York before it is auctioned in Paris on May 18.
A drawing by Raphael, another Renaissance master and Michaelangelo contemporary, called "Head of an Apostle" fetched 29.7 million pounds ($48 million) when it was sold by Sotheby auctioneers in 2012.
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