Rediscovered self-portraits by Francis Bacon will go under the hammer at Sotheby's in London on Wednesday evening.
A triptych (a painting on three separate panels) titled Three Studies for Self-Portrait (1980) (£10 million-£15 million) is described as "remarkably tranquil" and "emanating youthfulness".
Sotheby’s said the painting was made when the Irish-born artist was 71 and reflected his “intense desire to reject the ravages of time”.
An earlier Self-Portrait (1975) – single 14in by 12in canvas – has a similar estimate.
Sotheby’s said both paintings have “unequivocal masterpiece status” and “exude conceptual brilliance and, above all, painterly genius”.
Also in the sale is Bacon's Study for a Pope I (1961), estimated at £25 million-£35 million. It is one of a famous series of paintings he made which were inspired by Diego Velázquez's Portrait of Innocent X, and which was once owned by "celebrated art collector and playboy Gunter Sachs, before being sold at auction in 2005 for $10 million (€5.8 million), a record price for any work by Bacon at that time".
Since then, of course, paintings by Bacon have rocketed in price.
