Freud Nude Sells for Millions: Model's Life Transformed

Lucian Freud's masterpiece, "Sleeping by the Lion Carpet," is set to go under the hammer at Sotheby's on June 24, 2026, with an estimated value between $33 million and $47 million. This monumental nude portrait, painted in 1996, is the final of four large-scale depictions of Sue Tilley, whom Freud met while she was working in an unemployment office.

Tilley, now 69, expressed that while she has not personally benefited financially from the millions her portraits have fetched, the experience significantly altered her life and has allowed her to feel a part of art history. She recalls the sittings in Freud's London studio as comfortable, filled with conversation and tea, though some poses became physically demanding over months of work.

Freud, celebrated for his unflinching yet warm portrayals of friends and family, has seen his reputation soar posthumously. "Benefits Supervisor Resting," another portrait of Tilley, sold for $56.2 million in 2015, and "Large Interior, W11" achieved $86 million in 2022. "Sleeping by the Lion Carpet" is considered by Sotheby's chairman Oliver Barker to be Freud's "magnum opus."

This significant artwork is part of the collection of British billionaire Joe Lewis, whose assets are also being auctioned. The sale includes other valuable works by renowned artists, with "Sleeping by the Lion Carpet" potentially setting new records. Tilley, who retired to the south coast of England, sees her inclusion in art history as the fulfillment of a childhood ambition.