Article date: Friday, February 6, 2026
Rare Michelangelo Study for the Sistine Chapel sells for $27.2M

 A photograph sent to Christie's online portal by an unsuspecting owner resulted in a major discovery: a previously unknown study by Michelangelo for perhaps his most famous work, the frescoes on the Sistine Chapel ceiling. 

Article date: Friday, February 6, 2026
Auschwitz Museum introduces New Rules for Visitors

Starting March 1, individual visitors will be able to book entry cards exclusively online through the official system at visit.auschwitz.org.

Article date: Friday, February 6, 2026
Banco Santander will manage the Gelman Collection, Including 18 Pieces by Frida Kahlo

Fundación Banco Santander will manage the Gelman Santander Collection, comprising a set of 160 works assembled by the Gelman couple between 1941 and 1998.

Article date: Thursday, February 5, 2026
Qatar Museums unveils Programme for Rubaiya Qatar, a New Contemporary Art Quadrennial

Qatar Museums (QM) announced the programme for Rubaiya Qatar, a new nationwide multidisciplinary contemporary art quadrennial developed under the auspices of ALRIWAQ Art + Architecture, the contemporary art and architecture institution of Qatar Museums dedicated to research, exhibitions, and public art. 

Article date: Thursday, February 5, 2026
The National Gallery of Art, Washington, acquires a Masterwork by Artemisia Gentileschi

The National Gallery of Art acquired Mary Magdalene in Ecstasy, a rare painting from circa 1625 by renowned Italian painter Artemisia Gentileschi (1593–circa 1654).

Article date: Thursday, February 5, 2026
Empress Eugenie's Crown dropped in Louvre Heist to be Fully Restored

The crown of French Empress Eugenie, which was abandoned by thieves who staged a brazen robbery at the Louvre last year, is nearly intact and will be fully restored, the museum said Wednesday in a pressrelease.

Article date: Thursday, February 5, 2026
The First Homosexuals: Making Identity Visible, 1869-1939

The exhibition The First Homosexuals at the Kunstmuseum Basel turns a spotlight on the early visibility of same-sex desire and gender diversity in the arts.

Article date: Wednesday, February 4, 2026
India names Artists and Curator for 2026 Venice Biennale

India announced the artists and theme of its national pavilion for the 61st Venice Biennale. Titled “Geographies of Distance: remembering home,” the exhibition marks the India's return to the Venice Biennale for the first time since 2019.

Article date: Wednesday, February 4, 2026
Hirshhorn announces Expansive Museum Loan Program placing its Collection across the USA

The Smithsonian’s Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden has announced “50 for 50,” a collection-sharing partnership with Art Bridges Foundation starting in 2026. 

Article date: Wednesday, February 4, 2026
Sotheby's sets Record for Rembrandt Drawing with $18M 'Young Lion Resting'

Young Lion Resting, a masterwork by Rembrandt van Rijn, has sold at Sotheby’s in New York for $17,860,000, placing it among the most valuable Old Master Drawings to be sold at auction.

Article date: Wednesday, February 4, 2026
Giorgia Meloni's Face erased from Rome Angel Fresco

A restored fresco of an angel bearing the likeness of Italian premier Giorgia Meloni has been erased from the walls of a landmark church in Rome after days of controversy.

Article date: Tuesday, February 3, 2026
Michelangelo's 'The Last Judgment' Fresco undergoes apx. 3-Month cleaning at Sistine Chapel Rome

On 1 February, with the erection of scaffolding in the Sistine Chapel, the extraordinary maintenance of the Last Judgement began: for approximately three months, Michelangelo’s supreme masterpiece will undergo a cleaning procedure.