The Simile Drawing and Letter: A Rare Glimpse into Michelangelo’s Creative Process and Legacy Sold for Millions at Christie’s

A small drawing found on the back of a frame, accompanied by a letter from Michelangelo’s last direct descendant, was initially estimated to be worth between $6,000 and $8,000. However, New York’s Christie’s announced that the piece sold for “33.6 times the lowest estimate,” without revealing any details about the buyer. The small drawing shows a marble block with the word “simile” in English, believed to have been drawn while Michelangelo was working on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel.

The small drawing also includes a letter written by Cosimo Buonarroti in 1836, offering the work of his “illustrious ancestor Michelangelo” to Sir John Bowring, later the governor of Hong Kong. Christie’s experts found the letter and diagram completed on the back of another drawing that had been in a private collection for decades. Although not signed by Michelangelo, research has confirmed that the small drawing is the work of the great Italian artist.

According to Christie’s, fewer than 10 of Michelangelo’s works are thought to be privately owned, with most housed in the Casa Buonarroti museum in Florence. The auction house did not disclose any further details about the buyer of the piece, but the significance of the drawing and letter adds to its value and historical importance.