A reprint of a multi-million pound drawing by Michelangelo found at York's Castle Howard has gone on public display.

Mourning Woman, which was discovered by Sotherby's expert Julian Stock, is expected to fetch anything between £6 million and £8 million at auction.

Due to the immense value of the work, Castle Howard is unable to display the original, says spokesman Jonathan Clarkson.

"Instead we have put a high-quality photographic print of the work on display at the castle until November 5," he said.

"A monogram at the bottom corner of the drawing indicates that the drawing would have been purchased at auction in the mid 17th century by Henry Howard, 4th Earl of Carlisle, fromJonathan Richardson Snr. who formed a celebrated collection of old master drawings.

"The earl was a dedicated and renowned connoisseur and was responsible for building up the large collections of antique sculpture, gems, bronzes and Venetian and Roman paintings at Castle Howard."

The piece is expected to be auctioned in July next year, unless the National Gallery of Scotland, which has first refusal on the work, decides to buy it in the meantime.