Freud painting expected to fetch a record price


Freud painting expected to fetch a record price

LONDON — A painting by British artist Lucian Freud will likely fetch the highest auction price ever for a work by a living artist, Christie’s said Friday. The auction house estimates that “Benefits Supervisor Sleeping” will fetch between $25 million and $35 million. That would top the current record, set in November by Jeff Koons’ “Hanging Heart” sculpture, which sold for $23.6 million. The life-size portrait of a large naked woman will be sold in New York on May 13.

Pilar Ordovas, head of contemporary art at Christie’s in London, said the painting is coveted because it is the first from a series of Freud’s paintings from the 1990s to be available on the open market. Ordovas said the painting belongs to a series “considered by many to be among the best works he’s ever produced.” The 1995 painting depicts Freud’s subject Sue Tilley lying asleep on a worn-out sofa, Christie’s said. Christie’s unveiled the 5 foot-by-7-foot work for public viewing Friday in London. It also will be shown Monday and Tuesday in London, ahead of the sale in New York.

Freud, 85, the grandson of psychoanalyst Sigmund Freud, was introduced to the model, nicknamed “Big Sue,” by the Australian performance artist Leigh Bowery, Christie’s said. His work has a record of high prices. In November, Christie’s sold his painting, “IB and Her Husband,” for $19.3 million.

‘Young and the Restless’ actress star on Walk

LOS ANGELES — More than 25 years after being cast to say “Dinner is served” on the CBS soap opera “The Young and the Restless,” Kate Linder received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Linder told fans gathered for the ceremony Thursday that she was waiting to board a plane when she heard the news. “I stopped breathing and started crying,” Linder said. “The captain of the plane then went on to announce after takeoff that I was getting my star and the flight passengers applauded.”

In April 1982, Linder delivered the line “Dinner is served” at a casting and was asked to return the next day. She eventually joined the cast as Esther Valentine, the confidante and housekeeper of Katherine Chancellor, a wealthy woman. Linder has kept the job she had before joining the show: On weekends, she works as a United Airlines flight attendant.

Today’s birthdays

Actor Lyle Waggoner (“The Carol Burnett Show”) is 73. Actor Edward Fox is 71. Actor Paul Sorvino is 69. Musician Jack Casady of Jefferson Airplane is 64. Actor Tony Dow (“Leave It To Beaver”) is 63. Musician Al Green is 62. Actor Ron Perlman is 58. Actor William Sadler (“Wonderfalls,” “Roswell”) is 58. Singer Peabo Bryson is 57. “Late Night With Conan O’Brien” bandleader Max Weinberg is 57. Keyboardist Jimmy Destri of Blondie is 54. Singer-bassist Louis Johnson of The Brothers Johnson is 53. Actress Saundra Santiago (“Miami Vice”) is 51. Guitarist Joey Mazzola of Sponge is 47. Actress Page Hannah (TV’s “Fame”) is 44. Actress-comedian Caroline Rhea (“Sabrina the Teenage Witch,” “The Biggest Loser”) is 44. Actor Ricky Schroder is 38. Singer Lou Bega is 33. Singer Nellie McKay is 26.

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