Sleep (Kate and Lila Moss)
Oil painting on canvas; large-scale horizontal format • Lucian Freud
Style & Movement
Contemporary Realism / Figurative Art
Medium & Technique
Oil on canvas. The technique utilizes fine glazing and soft transitions in skin tones contrasted with rhythmic, gestural brushwork in the clothing and fabrics. Chiaroscuro is heavily employed to focus light on the figures against a dark, atmospheric void.
Creation Period
2000-2005 (circa 2002)
Dimensions & Format
Approx. 120 x 200 cm (estimated large format landscape orientation)
Subject Description
A double portrait of the supermodel Kate Moss and her infant daughter, Lila Grace Moss-Hack. The composition features Moss seated and leaning back with an expression of weary exhaustion, while the child sleeps soundly beside her. The work explores themes of maternity, vulnerability, and the physical toll of caregiving, stripped of celebrity glamour.
Condition & Value Assessment
Condition Assessment
Excellent based on photographic evidence; no visible surface trauma.
Estimated Market Value
$15,000,000 - $25,000,000 USD
Auction Estimate
$12,000,000 - $20,000,000 USD
Provenance History
Private collection; historically associated with exhibitions of Freud's later works.
Art Historical Significance
A major work from Freud's late period where his focus shifted to high-profile sitters treated with his hallmark unsentimental scrutiny. It is significant for capturing a rare, intimate moment of one of the world's most photographed women, transforming her into a monumental figure of maternal labor.
Notable Features
The dramatic lighting creates a stark contrast between Kate Moss's pale skin and the dark background. The treatment of the hands is particularly characteristic of Freud's interest in the weight and structure of human anatomy.
Condition Issues
No major issues visible. Potential for minor surface crazing over time due to thick paint layers (impasto) common in Freud's work.
Conservation Recommendations
Maintain in a climate-controlled environment (50% RH, 21°C). UV-filtered lighting required. Use of a shadow-box frame recommended to protect the texture of the oil paint.