A striking portrait by the renowned British artist Lucian Freud, depicting a woman from Sussex, has fetched a staggering £25 million at auction. The artwork, titled 'Sleeping by the Lion Carpet', went under the hammer at Sotheby's, with the final sale price, including the buyer's premium, reaching £29,260,000. The subject of the painting, Sue Tilley, who resides in St Leonards, vividly recalls the lengthy sittings that brought the iconic work to life.
Tilley described the painting as capturing her in "my glorious naked bigness squashed into a chair with a lion carpet behind me." She spent approximately nine months posing for Freud in his Holland Park studio in London, with sessions typically running from early morning until mid-afternoon several days a week. These sittings were often punctuated by long restaurant lunches, complete with champagne, offering a glimpse into the bohemian world of the acclaimed artist.
Despite the opulent lunches, Tilley remembers Freud's studio as far from glamorous. She characterised it as "really shabby," filled with "all sorts of rubbish on the floor." In a notable anecdote, she even recalled seeing "a Rodin being used as a doorstop," highlighting the informal and perhaps chaotic environment in which Freud created some of his most celebrated pieces.
Despite the monumental sum the painting commanded at auction, Tilley confirmed she did not receive a share of the proceeds from the sale. While she stated, "I've never got actually paid any money from the portrait selling," she did acknowledge receiving some income from "little jobs and bits and bobs," and noted Sotheby's generosity for her assistance. She clarified that this income was "nowhere near £25m." Tilley also expressed her dislike for being labelled the artist's "muse," finding the term conjures an image far removed from her own experience.
Tilley maintains that her involvement with Freud's work began by chance and that, despite the painting's global prominence, her daily life by the sea remains largely unaffected. She described her routine as primarily "very mundane," involving watching television, visiting the beach, and chatting with friends. However, she noted that "out of the blue suddenly something really bizarre happens and I'm all busy for about a week and it's all over," referring to events such as the recent auction. The sale also coincided with a new exhibition at Hastings Contemporary, featuring works by Henry Moore and Lucian Freud, which includes an etching of Tilley titled 'Woman with an Arm Tattoo' and runs until 13 September.