What is fame? Maybe it is when a seemingly unremarkable sketch you scribbled on&nbsp;the smallest piece of paper is sold for thousands of dollars.

This is exactly what happened in the US, where a small yellowed piece of paper on which the famed Renaissance genius Michelangelo had scribbled a square sold for a whopping $201,600. This, as per a statement released by auction house Christie's on Wednesday (Apr 17), was 33 times its estimated value.

<h2>Its discovery</h2>

As per AFP, the scribble was found stuck to the back of the frame of another Michelangelo painting. The second painting had been in a private collection for decades, the auction house said in a media statement.&nbsp;

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It was accompanied by a letter from Michelangelo's last direct descendant and was initially expected to fetch somewhere between $6,000 and $8,000.

However, Christie's in New York said that the piece, when it went under the hammer, ended up selling for "33.6 times its low estimate." The auction house did not disclose any details of the buyer.

<h2>What is the sketch?</h2>

The small work, AFP reports, depicts a block of marble. Written on the paper is the word "simile," which in English translates to "similar".

This is believed to have been drawn while the Renaissance genius Michelangelo was working on his famed work&nbsp;the Sistine Chapel ceiling, a Christie's specialist told AFP some time back.

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It is accompanied by a letter written by the artist's descendant, Cosimo Buonarroti. Written in 1836, in the letter, he offers the piece by his "illustrious forefather Michelangelo" to Sir John Bowring, who at the time was the future governor of Hong Kong, whose signature appears at the bottom of the sheet.

While the sketch is unsigned and has no proof, it is indeed drawn by Michaelangelo, as Christie's said that its research team has confirmed that the Italian artist was behind the small drawing.

(With inputs from agencies)

What is fame? Maybe it is when a seemingly unremarkable sketch you scribbled on the smallest piece of paper is sold for thousands of dollars. This is exactly what happened in the US, where a small yellowed piece of paper on which the famed Renaissance genius Michelangelo had scribbled a square sold for a whopping $201,600.

What is fame? Maybe it is when a seemingly unremarkable sketch you scribbled on the smallest piece of paper is sold for thousands of dollars. This is exactly what happened in the US, where a small yellowed piece of paper on which the famed Renaissance genius Michelangelo had scribbled a square sold for a whopping $201,600. This, as per a statement released by auction house Christie's on Wednesday (Apr 17), was 33 times its estimated value. Its discovery As per AFP, the scribble was found stuck to the back of the frame of another Michelangelo painting. The second painting had been in a private collection for decades, the auction house said in a media statement. Also read | Brazil woman wheels in corpse of an elderly man into bank to 'sign' for a loan It was accompanied by a letter from Michelangelo's last direct descendant and was initially expected to fetch somewhere between $6,000 and $8,000. However, Christie's in New York said that the piece, when it went under the hammer, ended up selling for "33.6 times its low estimate." The auction house did not disclose any details of the buyer. What is the sketch? The small work, AFP reports, depicts a block of marble. Written on the paper is the word "simile," which in English translates to "similar". This is believed to have been drawn while the Renaissance genius Michelangelo was working on his famed work the Sistine Chapel ceiling, a Christie's specialist told AFP some time back. Also read | Ancient humans lived in THIS vast lava tube in Saudi Arabia 7,000 years ago It is accompanied by a letter written by the artist's descendant, Cosimo Buonarroti. Written in 1836, in the letter, he offers the piece by his "illustrious forefather Michelangelo" to Sir John Bowring, who at the time was the future governor of Hong Kong, whose signature appears at the bottom of the sheet. While the sketch is unsigned and has no proof, it is indeed drawn by Michaelangelo, as Christie's said that its research team has confirmed that the Italian artist was behind the small drawing. (With inputs from agencies)

Tiny scribble, whopping price: Michelangelo's simple doodle sold for THIS much

A steamy sketch from more than three centuries ago has earned the "explicit" tag by the auction house selling it.

The sketch is being sold by international auction house Christie's and is expected to sell for around half a million dollars or GBP 250,000-400,000 (USD 313,748–501,998).

<h2>'The French Bed'</h2>

The etching in question is titled "The French Bed" and was drawn by Dutch Painter Rembrandt around 350 years ago in 1646. To view it online on Christie's website, users have to click past an "explicit content" warning.

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It is part of a collection named "Old Masters I" that goes on auction on Thursday (Dec 7).

<h2>What is explicit about the etching?</h2>

"The French Bed"&nbsp;or Het Ledikant is a monochrome picture, hidden away behind the sign "EXPLICIT CONTENT. This lot contains explicit material and mature subject matter," on Christie's website.

You can see it here:

<img alt="Rembrandt " data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="1d569f9d-b241-4226-b3a3-aef49e5f7f77" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/New%20wion%20-%202023-12-07T115254.807.jpg" />

(Image credit: Christie's website)

It depicts a man and a woman on a four-poster bed passionately engaged in lovemaking. The couple is depicted to be semi-clothed and amorous.&nbsp;

"They seem to have just tumbled onto the bed, with the trousers and skirts off, but shirts still on."

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Christie describes the Rembrandt piece as "one of a small number of explicitly erotic prints" by the Dutch painter.

"The delicately named ‘French Bed’ is one of a small number of explicitly erotic prints by Rembrandt, and one of the rarest etchings in his entire oeuvre."

They further write that the woman looks at her lover with a smile, and "the perplexing fact that she has three arms and hands adds to the vivacity of the scene."

However, the auction house goes on to say that the painting isn't "crass or obscene".

"It is to Rembrandt’s credit—and very much in line with his humane and slightly subversive character – that he did not try to classicise, moralise or otherwise elevate his print. Nor is it in any way crass or obscene, and that's makes this etching so charming and light-hearted: they are just two young people having a good time together."

(With inputs from agencies)

A steamy sketch from more than three centuries ago has earned the "explicit" tag by the auction house selling it. The sketch is being sold by international auction house Christie's and is expected to sell for around half a million dollars or GBP 250,000-400,000 (USD 313,748–501,998).

A steamy sketch from more than three centuries ago has earned the "explicit" tag by the auction house selling it. The sketch is being sold by international auction house Christie's and is expected to sell for around half a million dollars or GBP 250,000-400,000 (USD 313,748–501,998). 'The French Bed' The etching in question is titled "The French Bed" and was drawn by Dutch Painter Rembrandt around 350 years ago in 1646. To view it online on Christie's website, users have to click past an "explicit content" warning. Also read | Boris Johnson's apologies over COVID-19 pandemic handling met with signs of 'dead can't hear'. Watch! It is part of a collection named "Old Masters I" that goes on auction on Thursday (Dec 7). What is explicit about the etching? "The French Bed" or Het Ledikant is a monochrome picture, hidden away behind the sign "EXPLICIT CONTENT. This lot contains explicit material and mature subject matter," on Christie's website. You can see it here: (Image credit: Christie's website) It depicts a man and a woman on a four-poster bed passionately engaged in lovemaking. The couple is depicted to be semi-clothed and amorous. "They seem to have just tumbled onto the bed, with the trousers and skirts off, but shirts still on." Also read | Moo-d boosting therapy: This farm offers relaxation through unique cow cuddling sessions Christie describes the Rembrandt piece as "one of a small number of explicitly erotic prints" by the Dutch painter. "The delicately named ‘French Bed’ is one of a small number of explicitly erotic prints by Rembrandt, and one of the rarest etchings in his entire oeuvre." They further write that the woman looks at her lover with a smile, and "the perplexing fact that she has three arms and hands adds to the vivacity of the scene." However, the auction house goes on to say that the painting isn't "crass or obscene". "It is to Rembrandt’s credit—and very much in line with his humane and slightly subversive character – that he did not try to classicise, moralise or otherwise elevate his print. Nor is it in any way crass or obscene, and that's makes this etching so charming and light-hearted: they are just two young people having a good time together." (With inputs from agencies)

350-year-old steamy, 'explicit' sketch expected to sell for half-a-million dollars

An artist in the United Kingdom named John Craxton once paid $310 for an unusual chandelier at an antique shop in London which he believed was made by the great sculptor Alberto Giacometti, turns out he was right. The chandelier in question which was created in the late 1940s is poised to be sold for over $8.6 million in a few weeks at Christie’s.&nbsp;

Several works of the revered Swiss sculptor have broken salesroom records previously, notably, the estimated price of the chandelier was up to $3.1 million, reported the Guardian. However, Michelle McMullan at Christie’s recognised the figure as an estimate because such a significant chandelier is “extremely rare”. She also said that the market for Alberto and his brother Diego Giacometti's designs has “never been stronger”.&nbsp;

In 2018, one of Giacometti's chandeliers was auctioned for nearly $9.4 million, she told the Guardian. The chandelier in question was bought by Craxton in the 1960s when he saw it in a shop on Marylebone Road, London and believed it was commissioned by his late friend and art collector Peter Watson. Craxton, who passed away in 2009, was confident about his purchase and the unique light fitting has been a part of his home in north London for almost five decades now.

Notably, Watson who inherited the family fortune and built up his own important collection of modern and surrealist artworks in Paris, over the years, had commissioned the chandelier from Giacometti during a return trip to Europe around 1946 or 1947.&nbsp;

The unique light fitting has also graced the Bloomsbury offices of Horizon in 1949 before the magazine was shut a year later. Subsequently, it was removed from the building and placed in storage after which no one knows how it found its way to Denton’s antique shop, said a report by the Guardian citing Craxton’s biographer, Ian Collins. 
&nbsp;

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An artist in the United Kingdom named John Craxton once paid $310 for an unusual chandelier at an antique shop in London which he believed was made by the great sculptor Alberto Giacometti, turns out he was right.

An artist in the United Kingdom named John Craxton once paid $310 for an unusual chandelier at an antique shop in London which he believed was made by the great sculptor Alberto Giacometti, turns out he was right. The chandelier in question which was created in the late 1940s is poised to be sold for over $8.6 million in a few weeks at Christie’s. Several works of the revered Swiss sculptor have broken salesroom records previously, notably, the estimated price of the chandelier was up to $3.1 million, reported the Guardian. However, Michelle McMullan at Christie’s recognised the figure as an estimate because such a significant chandelier is “extremely rare”. She also said that the market for Alberto and his brother Diego Giacometti's designs has “never been stronger”. In 2018, one of Giacometti's chandeliers was auctioned for nearly $9.4 million, she told the Guardian. The chandelier in question was bought by Craxton in the 1960s when he saw it in a shop on Marylebone Road, London and believed it was commissioned by his late friend and art collector Peter Watson. Craxton, who passed away in 2009, was confident about his purchase and the unique light fitting has been a part of his home in north London for almost five decades now. Notably, Watson who inherited the family fortune and built up his own important collection of modern and surrealist artworks in Paris, over the years, had commissioned the chandelier from Giacometti during a return trip to Europe around 1946 or 1947. The unique light fitting has also graced the Bloomsbury offices of Horizon in 1949 before the magazine was shut a year later. Subsequently, it was removed from the building and placed in storage after which no one knows how it found its way to Denton’s antique shop, said a report by the Guardian citing Craxton’s biographer, Ian Collins. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

‘Extremely rare’ chandelier once bought by UK artist for $310 to be sold for more than $8 million

Paintings by Pablo Picasso, Rene Magritte and Joan Miro as well as Banksy`s tribute to Britain`s National Health Service are among a selection of artworks going under the hammer this month at auction house Christie`s 20th Century Art sale. 
 
Held in London on March 23, the auction counts 55 lots, including Picasso`s "Femme nue couchée au collier", which has a price estimate of 9 million pounds - 15 million pounds ($12.50 million - $21 million). 
 
Another portrait by the Spanish artist, "Femme assise dans un fauteuil noir", is seen selling for 6 million - 9 million pounds. 
 
Other lots include a self-portrait by Jean-Michel Basquiat, Amedeo Modigliani`s "Portrait du photographe Dilewski" and Andy Warhol`s "Three Self-Portraits". 
"It`s all about 20th century art with some 21st century art thrown in as well ... The works in the sale are predominantly fresh to market which is what our clients want," Keith Gill, co-head of the 20th Century Evening Sale, told Reuters. 
 
When asked about the impact of Brexit on art sales in London, he added: "As far as we can tell our sales are going from strength to strength". 
 
"Game Changer", by elusive British street artist Banksy and depicting a boy playing with a nurse as a superhero rather than Batman and Spiderman, has a price estimate of 2.5 million - 3.5 million pounds. 
 
The painting, unveiled last year at University Hospital Southampton, paid tribute to the frontline workers of Britain`s National Health Service (NHS) in their fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. Proceeds from the sale will go to the NHS. 
 
Christie`s will also hold its Art of the Surreal auction on the same day. 
 
Highlights include Rene Magritte`s "Le mois des vendanges", which has an estimate of 10 million - 15 million pounds and Joan Miro`s "Peinture", with a price tag of 9 million - 14 million pounds among the 27 lots.&nbsp;

Paintings by Pablo Picasso, Rene Magritte and Joan Miro as well as Banksy`s tribute to Britain`s National Health Service are among a selection of artworks going under the hammer this month at auction house Christie`s 20th Century Art sale.

Paintings by Pablo Picasso, Rene Magritte and Joan Miro as well as Banksy`s tribute to Britain`s National Health Service are among a selection of artworks going under the hammer this month at auction house Christie`s 20th Century Art sale. Held in London on March 23, the auction counts 55 lots, including Picasso`s "Femme nue couchée au collier", which has a price estimate of 9 million pounds - 15 million pounds ($12.50 million - $21 million). Another portrait by the Spanish artist, "Femme assise dans un fauteuil noir", is seen selling for 6 million - 9 million pounds. Other lots include a self-portrait by Jean-Michel Basquiat, Amedeo Modigliani`s "Portrait du photographe Dilewski" and Andy Warhol`s "Three Self-Portraits". "It`s all about 20th century art with some 21st century art thrown in as well ... The works in the sale are predominantly fresh to market which is what our clients want," Keith Gill, co-head of the 20th Century Evening Sale, told Reuters. When asked about the impact of Brexit on art sales in London, he added: "As far as we can tell our sales are going from strength to strength". "Game Changer", by elusive British street artist Banksy and depicting a boy playing with a nurse as a superhero rather than Batman and Spiderman, has a price estimate of 2.5 million - 3.5 million pounds. The painting, unveiled last year at University Hospital Southampton, paid tribute to the frontline workers of Britain`s National Health Service (NHS) in their fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. Proceeds from the sale will go to the NHS. Christie`s will also hold its Art of the Surreal auction on the same day. Highlights include Rene Magritte`s "Le mois des vendanges", which has an estimate of 10 million - 15 million pounds and Joan Miro`s "Peinture", with a price tag of 9 million - 14 million pounds among the 27 lots.

Picasso, Miro as well as Banksy for sale at auction

The British auction house Christie's sold the skeleton of Stan, one of the largest known Tyrannosaurus rexes, for $31.8 million usd late Tuesday (October 6).

Stan' the T. Rex sells for $31.8 million at Christies auction house