Drawing by Michelangelo that went undiscovered for more than 500 years tipped to sell for £26million

A DRAWING by Michelangelo that went undiscovered for more than 500 years is tipped to sell for £26million.

The pen and brown ink work depicts a nude man flanked by two figures.

It was bought in 1907 at a sale in Paris by the famous French pianist Alfred Cortot, who believed it to be the work of one of Michelangelo’s students.

It was gifted to an anonymous associate of Cortot after his death in 1962 but its true origin remained unknown until an expert noticed it during a valuation in 2019.

He confirmed the 13in by 8in drawing was the work of a 21-year-old Michelangelo, produced in around 1496.

It was inspired by an earlier fresco by one of the old master’s own idols, Masaccio, in Florence.

Stijn Alsteens, specialist at Christie's, said: “This is a great work by a great artist - perhaps the greatest of all time. But not only that, it is a drawing no one knew existed.

“A discovery of this magnitude comes once every 30 or 40 years.

“Michelangelo's drawings are remarkably rare and this is his last one in private hands, there are only five other drawings of his which are privately owned.”

The drawing is to be sold by Christie’s in New York on Wednesday.