Lucian Freud Value: Top Prices Paid At Auction

Sold in 2022, a landmark year for the art market, Freud’s Large Interior, W11 (after Watteau) (1981 - 83) made headlines when it emerged from the esteemed Paul G. Allen collection. Allen had originally purchased the painting from Sotheby’s in 1998 for £3.5 million, setting an auction record for Freud at the time. In 2022, the painting shattered another record, selling for an extraordinary £75.8 million. The large-scale canvas is considered a masterpiece of human observation, marking Freud's greatest artistic period. Featuring four sitters–including former lover Suzy Boyt, her son Kai, Freud's daughter Bella and his then-lover Celia Paul–Large Interior, W11 is a profound reflection of Freud’s unflinching gaze on human vulnerability. Set in his London studio and inspired by Jean Antoine Watteau’s Pierrot content, Freud reimagines Watteau’s fête galante. This work remains the highest-valued Freud painting on the public market.

Depicting an nude, obese woman comfortably positioned on a chaise sofa, Benefits Supervisor Resting (1994) stands as one of Freud's highest-valued works, selling for £35.9 million at Christie's in 2015, exceeding its high estimate in its first auction appearance. The sitter, Sue Tilley, a London government worker, was one of Freud’s most iconic muses. In this painting, Freud meticulously observes every curve and fold of flesh, offering an unorthodox, unconventional odalisque portrayal, showcasing his fascination with the human body and its form. The painting reflects Freud’s deep attention to detail and realism in portraying the human condition and is the second in a series of four paintings featuring Sue.

Freud's portrait The Brigadier (2003-04), while a military portrayal, is strikingly contemporary with its almost bird's-eye view and tunnel-like focus. Freud applies the same meticulous attention to detail in the shadows, textures, and military uniform as he does to nude flesh. The sitter, Brigadier Andrew Parker Bowles, former Commanding Officer of the Household Cavalry and Silver Stick-in-Waiting to Queen Elizabeth II, is depicted with deep emotional intensity, showing reflection and contemplation beneath his uniform. This masterpiece fetched over £23 million at Christie's in 2015, underscoring its significance.

Portrait on a White Cover (2002-03) features Sophie Lawrence, an employee of Tate Publishing, whom Freud noticed during his 2002 Tate retrospective. Although Freud's affection for women and his many lovers is often noted in literature, critics and historians argue that his portraits, especially nudes, are not intended to convey moral or political messages. Instead, they focus on aesthetics and emotional depth, capturing an introspective aura around the subject. This particular portrait sold for £22.4 million in 2018, reflecting the significant value placed on Freud's nude portraits.

This work presents another take on Freud's odalisque, featuring a larger woman reclining on a tufted sofa with a floral backrest. The model is Sue Tilley, famously known as “Big Sue,” whom Freud painted several times between 1994 and 1996. Sue has expressed her delight in being immortalised in the portrait, saying, “I love that painting.” Freud was drawn to the natural weight and texture of her body and is one of four works featuring Sue as a model. This painting set an auction record at £17.2 million when it was first publicly shown.

Ib Reading (1997) is one of Freud’s notable single-figure portraits. In this work, Freud's focus on individual subjects allows him to explore the merging of physical form and emotion. The clothed figure, his daughter Isobel Boyt (referred to as “Ib”), highlights a sense of vulnerability and introspection. Viewed through a tender, almost voyeuristic lens, the painting examines Freud’s personal relationship with his daughter. This portrait is part of a larger narrative of family portraits Freud created over his career and sold for just over £17 million in 2023.

A unique example of Freud's portraiture, Pregnant Girl (1997) is a cropped portrait focusing on a woman's breasts. Freud's works typically reveal the identity of the sitter, enhancing the emotional depth. This piece depicts his lover, Bernadine Coverley, who is pregnant and asleep, as suggested by the title, with their first daughter, Bella. The portrait captures a deeply intimate and feminine moment, transcending traditional portraiture. Its intensity and tenderness are reflected in its 2016 auction sale, where it fetched just over £16 million.

Girl with Closed Eyes (1986-87) features Janey Longman in a pose reminiscent of Bernadine Coverley from Freud's previous work. Longman, one of Freud's muses and lovers, was a food critic and the subject of three portraits by the artist. Freud’s cropped portraits are rare in the market, and this particular piece, coupled with its prestigious exhibition history, sold for just over £16 million in 2016. It remains one of Freud’s top-selling works, showcasing his mastery of intimate, emotional portraiture.

Freud's portrait David Hockney, painted in 2002, emerged on the market in 2021, a time often seen as one of Freud's most creative phases. Like his portrait of the late Queen, which drew some criticism, this work captures the raw realism typical of Freud’s style. In the portrait, Hockney is depicted with thinning gray hair and tired eyes, revealing the human side of the renowned artist. It is said that Hockney sat for over 400 hours for the piece over a four month period. The portrait sold for £14.9 million in 2021, exceeding its high estimate.

Naked Portrait with Reflection (1980) is an enigmatic piece distinct from Freud's other works. Painted from a bird's-eye view, the woman, likely a lover or muse, is sprawled on a torn sofa with arms raised and feet intertwined. What sets this portrait apart is the inclusion of two feet in the upper corner, representing the artist’s reflection, adding a narrative element and a voyeuristic tone. The painting’s unusual perspective and psychological depth have earned it a prominent exhibition history, selling for £11.8 million in 2008.