Italian scholar Valentina Salerno has uncovered evidence suggesting that Renaissance artist Michelangelo Buonarroti (1475-1564) did not destroy his artistic legacy before his death, but rather hid it. Salerno's research indicates that Michelangelo instructed his closest students in his Roman apartment to conceal hundreds of sketches, wax impressions, and drafts in a secret location. These works subsequently dispersed through various channels to their current owners. Approximately 20 of these artworks have been identified, and a foot sketch attributed to this hidden collection was recently auctioned at Christie's in London for 23 million Euros. In response, the Vatican convened a scientific committee in spring 2025, comprising international experts, to investigate this significant discovery.