Freud portrait of Bacon set to sell for £7m

A PORTRAIT by Lucian Freud of his good friend Francis Bacon goes on show in London tomorrow for the first time in decades.

It is on display prior to auction on Sunday at Christie's in London, with an estimate of £7million.

The portrait has been owned by a private collector since 1972 and has not been seen in the UK since.

The only other portrait of Bacon by Freud was stolen from an exhibition in Berlin in 1988.

The two men met in 1945 and became friends. Freud painted Bacon twice, in 1952 for the portrait that was stolen and in 1956-57 for the work being sold.

The exhibition runs until Sunday at Christie's Old Brompton Road showrooms. The sale will take place at its King Street offices.