Painting of Sussex woman could fetch up to £35 million at auction
Sue Tilley, who lives in St Leonards, East Sussex, was the model and muse of famous artist Lucien Freud.
Now a famous portrait of her by Freud is being auctioned by Sotheby’s in London later this month with an estimated sale price of £25 – £35 million.
The painting, Sleeping by the Lion Carpet, is the final and most ambitious work in the artist’s celebrated quartet of monumental portraits of Sue.
It is described by leading art critic and historian Martin Gayford as ‘the most important work that Freud has ever painted’.
The last time a work from this series appeared at auction in 2015, it made history, setting the record for Freud and for any living artist at the time ($56.2m / £35.9m).
Freud’s portraits of Sue have largely ended up in private collections, including that of Roman Abramovich, the billionaire past owner of Chelsea football club.
Reacting to the sale, Sue, who lives in St Leonards, said: “I am just honoured that anyone would want to buy that picture. It is still beyond my comprehension how it happened to me.
On Sitting for Freud, Sue said: “It was amazing, but to be honest at the time it was just a little job. I think he liked me because I was reliable.”
Sue once said she hated this particular portrait for making her ‘look awful’. Now she says: “I think I’ve gotten used to it now. I am what I am. Imagine if everyone wants to be stick thin, it’d be boring, wouldn’t it.
"Freud loved to exaggerate and layer imperfections. If he found a blemish he’d paint it.” She said the final work in the end is part-her, part-fiction. “It’s like someone else,” she said. “And they’re so familiar, but unfamiliar at the same time.”
Asked about who she would like to see the painting go to, Sue said: “I’d like someone who’d really love it for what it was, and not for money. At least if you could give it to a gallery, so people could look at it.”
The painting will be on view at Sotheby’s London from June 10 – 23 before being offered for sale alongside other masterpieces from the celebrated Lewis Collection on June 24.
Sue is also the author of a book on iconic London character and costume designer Leigh Bowery, who was a close friend and introduced her to Lucien Freud.