Christie’s London sale of Contemporary art will offer Francis Bacon’s full length self portrait featuring the artist’s face upon Lucian Freud’s body:
A major highlight of the auction is the extremely rare Study for Self-Portrait painted by Francis Bacon in 1964 (estimate upon request; illustrated above). It is a poignant and exceptionally intimate painting by Francis Bacon, which marries the artist’s face to the figure of friend and fellow painter, Lucian Freud. It represents one of only twelve, floor-length self-portraits ever to be realised by Francis Bacon, four of which are now held in international museum collections. It is the only to undertake the almost devotional act of conflating the two artist’s bodies.
