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ARTEX Market Update: Francis Bacon’s Self-Portrait (1972) doubles its low estimate, reaching £16,035,000 at Sotheby’s London.

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ARTEX Market Update:  Francis Bacon’s Self-Portrait (1972) doubles its low estimate, reaching £16,035,000 at Sotheby’s London.

Vaduz / Zurich — 6 March 2026

ARTEX notes the sale of Francis Bacon’s Self-Portrait (1972), which achieved £16,035,000 at Sotheby’s London, exceeding its pre-sale estimate of £8,000,000–£12,000,000. The result is a signal that high historical value is rewarded, constantly at the top end of the market.

Transaction Summary

• Artist: Francis Bacon (1909–1992)
• Work: Self-Portrait (1972)
• Medium: Oil on canvas
• Dimensions: 36 × 30.5 cm
• Sale venue: Sotheby’s London, Modern & Contemporary Evening Auction
• Pre-sale estimate: £8,000,000–£12,000,000
• Result: £16,035,000

Context

Bacon’s self-portraiture remains central to his practice and continues to resonate through its sustained exploration of the self under pressure.

Institutional recognition, sustained over decades

The work has appeared in major public contexts, including The Metropolitan Museum of Art (New York, 1975), a museum tour in Japan (Tokyo / Kyoto / Nagoya, 1983), and most recently Francis Bacon: Human Presence at the National Portrait Gallery (London) and Foundation Pierre Gianadda (Martigny), 2024–2025.

Provenance

Provenance is crucial. This painting was gifted by the artist (circa 1983) to Dr. Paul Brass, later sold at Sotheby’s (1994), and held by the same owner since.

How value forms in moments like this

When a work exceeds estimate, it often reflects a convergence of scarcity, quality, artistic value, and demand.

ARTEX perspective

ARTEX monitors public-market price formation and institutional signals to better understand how museum-quality works are valued over time and how market structure continues to evolve.

Image viewing: https://www.francis-bacon.com/artworks/paintings/self-portrait-10

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Important Notice / Disclaimer:

This press release is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute an offer, solicitation, recommendation, or investment advice. Past auction results are not indicative of future performance.

ARTEX Global Markets AG (“ARTEX GM” OR “ARTEX Global Markets”) operates a secure and liquid art-focused multilateral trading facility, regulated, and supervised by the Financial Markets Authority of Liechtenstein within the European MiFID II legislative framework. ARTEX Global Markets AG is a company incorporated in the Principality of Liechtenstein under company number FL-0002.682.571-2 with registered offices at Wuhrstrasse 6, 9490 Vaduz, Liechtenstein.

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