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Lucien Freud Nude Sets Record Auction Price For Living Artist: $33M

Posted by Bryan Christian

 

It's called "Benefits Supervisor Sleeping," and last night it netted 33 million samoleans at Christie's auction house in Manhattan. Which, if you're paying attention, would get you a few hundred of those Gisele shots from a few months back. Justified? Who can say; it's art. That shit hasn't made sense since the Japanese bought the Mona Lisa or whatever.

Oh, here's something we can say with certainty: you can click through for a larger version of "Benefits Supervisor Sleeping," which you can download and save. That'll be 33 million dollars, please. 

Click to popup a larger version and then right- or ctrl-click to save.

[via CNN] 


+ DIGG + DEL.ICIO.US + REDDIT
Posted May 14 2008, 12:33 PM
Filed under: , , , ,

Comments

danrimage said:

You're the Bry(i)an who's NOT a Phillistine, right? Art market prices have been out of control for almost a century....the fact that it's a justifiably-reknowned, near-legendary figure like Freud that's getting it for what I (and apparently many others) consider to be a powerful, genuinely erotic and very beautiful portrait makes me glad.

GLAD, I tells ya....at least rich assholes spending astronomical sums on culture is better than about a billion other things they COULD be spending it on. This was front-page news in all the London tabloids a few weeks back. Granted, the tone was similarly 'What kind of nutter want to spend that kind of money to see a naked fat bird?' but at least it brings art to peoples' attention.

May 14, 2008 1:22 PM

Bryan Christian said:

Actually, I don't think I said anything about a "naked fat bird" or the content of the painting at all, just that it was X price which was equal to Y Gisele photos, and then joked that art prices are crazy. But thanks for projecting!

May 14, 2008 2:07 PM

greatgatsby1 said:

Gimme a break, Bryan.  This post is TOTALLY about how not-hot the model is.  Which is fine, but don't pretend you're just posting about the outrageous art market. (What's next, your posting about the skyrocketing costs of the rice and corn market?)  Just own up, buddy.

May 14, 2008 3:43 PM

Bryan Christian said:

Dude, people, seriously: if I'd wanted to say "that painting's model is too fat to warrant so much money" I would have just said that. But I don't think that, and I didn't write it. Seriously, show me where I say that here and I'll write you a check for kiss-my-ass amount of dollars.

May 14, 2008 4:15 PM

Emily Farris said:

He has been covering the auction beat, guys.

May 14, 2008 4:18 PM

Emily Farris said:

And she _is_ fat.

May 14, 2008 4:18 PM

Brian Fairbanks said:

I'm with Bryan on this one. I didn't get that all reading this, nor is there any hint of that kind of tone when re-reading it.

However, I'm tempted to make a joke at my own expense ("no, guys, that's something I would say," etc.)...

May 14, 2008 4:22 PM

danrimage said:

Uh, so the comparison to the Gisele Bundchen photos was just arbitrary then? And I was actually more taken aback by your seemingly bemused reaction at the (admittedly staggering) price of a famous painting by a living name artist, when you yourself should have more than a passing knowledge of art market shenanigans than most.

Anyway, re-reading what I wrote, perhaps the tone was more snippy and aghast than intended.

Oh and one more thing: replies from all three regular 'Scanners'? I feel humbled....and I'm genuinely touched by your community spirit and willingness to leap to the defence of a member of your little family over there....

May 14, 2008 7:21 PM

About Bryan Christian

Bryan Christian has worked as a writer for Epicurious, GenArt and ID magazine; a web producer for WWD and Condé Nast; and a cameraman for his friends. He's married with roommate and lives in Clinton Hill, Brooklyn.

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    • about the blogger

    Emily Farris writes about culture and food for numerous publications and websites you've probably never heard of, including her own blog eefers. Her first cookbook will be published in fall 2008. Emily lives in Greenpoint, Brooklyn with her cat, but just one . . . so far.

    Brian Fairbanks is a filmmaker living in the wilds of Brooklyn. He previously wrote for the Hartford Courant and Gawker. He won the Williamsburg Spelling Bee once. He loves cats, women with guns, and burning books.

    Nicole Pasulka is a Brooklyn writer and editor who's always on the lookout for the dirty. Her other virtual home is at The Morning News, where things are squeaky clean most of the time.

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