Freud painting of daughter set for record price

A painting by Lucian Freud of his daughter lying in a tender pose with her partner while pregnant with their third child is expected to break all previous records of the artist's work when it goes on sale next month.

Ib and Her Husband, painted in 1992, is one of Freud's most widely exhibited works, and has never before been auctioned. An intriguing portrait of Freud's daughter, Isobel, which took more than a year to complete due to its technical intricacy, it is estimated to fetch more than £7.8m, breaking the record for a work by Freud at auction.

In June, Bruce Bernard set the record for the most expensive Freud painting when it sold for £7.8m, which in turn, exceeded the £4m sale of Red Haired Man on a Chair in 2005.

Freud, 84, is famed for painting startlingly intimate visions of those closest to him and Isobel has featured in several of his works. She was depicted as a child in Large Interior, Paddington, painted in 1968 as a young girl sprawled on the floor.

Pilar Ordovas, head of post-war and contemporary art at Christie's, said it was a rare sale of a painting by an artist who had produced a limited number of works that were fiercely fought for by collectors.

"It's not often his work comes on the market because it takes so long to create and complete. His work requires much more attention and he appears to have worked on this one over a year, because it took longer than Isobel's pregnancy. Freud is of the view that a sitter influences everything around them and needs the sitter to be present," she added.

The painting has been celebrated for presenting an honest glimpse into the life of Isobel with her partner and her relationship with her father. It will be sold in the post-war and contemporary art sale on 13 November.