Sue Tilley is the name of the lady,and she has just been sold for 33 Million Dollars.
Lucian Freud painted her in eight hourly sessions , three times a week over nine monthes.
He called his painting “Benefits Supervisor Sleeping”
She earned about 40 Dollars a time,and is now famous.
Lucian Freud is one of the most outstanding and brilliant portrait painters of our time and “Supervisor” is the most expensive painting ever sold by a living artist.
But he is not for everybody,
as the controversy over his 2001 portrait of Queen Elisabeth II proved. A lot of people thought she should have locked him up in the Tower of London for it.
“I am only interested in painting the actual person; in doing a painting of them,not only using them to some ulterior end of art” says the 85 year old.
Diamonds and Rust 
Comments on: "The Most Expensive Woman in the World" (12)
informative, but who is Sue Tilly?
Hello Shasha,
Actually I spelled her name wrong,she is called Sue Tilley and was his muse.
The most expensive woman in the world doesn’t look very happy. Don’t know why.
A remarkable painting. I’d like to see it in person, as Freud handles paint in a unique way, and this reproduction doeas not allow a closer inspection. Having done much painting from the figure I know just how demanding making a painting of this level of acuteness. To sustain the activity for as long a time as you report Freud and this lady has taken takes guts, committment and sustained attention by both painter and model. If this lady did 8-hour sessions for forty dollars a time, she basically gifted Freud with her time, as here life models tend to charge @$25 for a hour of sitting. So for her it was small compensation for her time – and she left herself vulnerable, because what Freud has seen dispassionately of her, so do the rest of us looking at this painting. And it is not a flattering portrayal. So my hat goes off to this model for her trust, and self-possession and self-awareness in submitting herself for this process. Her individual image will have a long history, and through it she gains a form of immortality. G
Leafless I think she has more than one reason not to look particularly happy but as Suburbanlife says she has gained a form of immortality by it all.
Hello Suburbanlife.According to the interview I read that was the sum paid,although I do wonder if it should have been GBpounds and not 40Swiss Francs=US Dollar as quoted.
It certainly needed stamina on both sides,and I know some Artists don’t even want to stop for a cup of tea.
Pity the link doesn’t work to your blog.Thankyou for visiting.
I can see why it took so long. There’s a lot to paint. 😈
Sorry, couldn’t resist. She reminds me of my ex-wife.
-smith
Last week I have seen some of his paintings in Den Hague, Holland. The are technically supreme.
The nudes are perfect.
In some of the portraits I would have preferred more soul, more entry from the sitters.
David Hockney however had a nice smile.
Now there is no need to be envious Smith,with a bit of practice you can be a Hockney too.
Understand why she is your ex though.
Erdes hallo,
I have only seen one of his originals that I remember having a lot of soul.His portrait of HM Queen Elisabeth.I could even hear her swearing.
see can get back to me through my mail or call me with this no006 0162378051
she can get back to me through my mail or call me with this no006 0162378051