Kate Moss Nude Sells for Expected Price

By James Wray Feb 10, 2005, 7:22 GMT

The life-size nude portrait of model Kate Moss by Lucian Freud has been sold for $6.7 million, around $7.8 million before commission.

As previously reported the portrait of the supermodel, painted while she was pregnant, was expected to sell for around this price.

Christie’s in London unveiled the portrait publicly for the first this week. The painting, titled "Naked Portrait 2002" is near life size measuring 152.7 x 122.2cm.

Freud's decision to paint the supermodel was indirectly prompted by Kate Moss herself. In an article reproduced in the style magazine Dazed and Confused Moss revealed that one of her remaining unfulfilled ambitions was to pose for Freud.

Unexpectedly, Freud seems to have seen the article and been prompted to arrange a sitting. Moss, who had explained in the article that she was aware of how slowly Freud worked, and was unconcerned how long such a 'modeling job’, would take.

Moss was pregnant when the sittings for the portrait began. Because of this Freud began the painting from her slightly pregnant stomach so as to fix it in paint before it grew further.

Having been bought almost immediately after it was complete by a private collector; it was thought Moss might bid herself. However, it seems the painting went to an anonymous phone bidder.