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The day Lucian Freud painted Kate Moss naked and pregnant
In the 2000s, supermodel Kate Moss struck the pose for painter Lucian Freud, Sigmund Freud’s grandson, for a famous nude portrait of her entitled Naked Portrait. Throwback to the wild story behind that painting, as their intense relationship will soon be the topic of the biopic Moss & Freud.
and Violaine Schütz.
Published on 10 February 2023. Updated on 15 April 2026.
The National Portrait Gallery exhibits Lucian Freud’s drawings in London
Primarily known for his figurative paintings, Lucian Freud’s body of work also encompasses a multitude of fascinating drawings. This medium marked the beginnings of his career and practice, up until the 1940s.
Often serving as drafts for the portraits he intended to create, his works on paper are currently on display at the National Portrait Gallery in London. Today, they help us understand the preparatory techniques and long processes of observing subjects used by the painter before starting his canvases. Much like his enigmatic painting of model Kate Moss, who appears naked, languid and pregnant…
Story of a close friendship
Indeed, the top model and the painter were friends. A surprising relationship that Oscar-winning British director James Lucas is exploring in his new feature, presented at the London FIlm Festival in October 2025. Centered on the supermodel’s friendship with the German-born British painter, the project is set in London in the early 2000s, when Kate Moss was living quite a rock’n’roll lifestyle.
While the release date of the film, titled Moss & Freud, remains unknown, we know that Ellie Bamber (Nocturnal Animals, Willow, The Serpent) was chosen by Kate Moss herself to embody her. British actor Derek Jacobi (I, Claudius) will portray Lucian Freud. Kate Moss will be part of the project as she will produce Moss & Freud with the support of the Lucian Freud Archive.
In a statement, the so-called “twig” explained: “As this is such a personal story of mine, it has been essential that I be involved with James (Lucas) in all aspects as the project has developed. I am thrilled by the recent casting and excited that the film will begin shooting soon. I cannot wait to see it.”
An unlikely friendship between a fashion icon and a painter
In 2002, Kate Moss was at the height of her career. She had become one of the most influential supermodels, having helped to create this phenomenon. However, in an interview with Dazed & Confused, she revealed that one goal on her bucket list hadn’t been ticked off — posing for the painter Lucian Freud. The 82-year-old artist would usually ask his subjects to pose in front of his easel for months and, due to a lack of availability in his schedule, Kate Moss had not been able to become his muse. But the publication of that interview prompted Bella Freud, the artist’s daughter and close friend of the model, to arrange a meeting between them, which eventually led to the idea of the portrait.
Dark, sensual portraits
Although they are both British, two eras and two worlds seem to separate Kate Moss and Lucian Freud, an artist with a raw and realistic touch. However, they built a surprisingly close friendship from the early 2000s until the artist’s death in 2011. While the painter born in 1922 devoted himself to portraiture, representing the faces of his inner circle from the 1940s onward, Lucian Freud also painted the most notorious contemporary figures.
In a dark, carnal colour palette and with a stroke that pushes realism to the extreme, his brush has lingered on the features of renowned British figures rather than superstars. That includes his artist friend Francis Bacon in 1952 and Queen Elizabeth II for her Golden Jubilee in 2001. The portrait of the late sovereign caused a stir because she looked older than she was. A year later, David Hockney also posed for the painter. Nonetheless, he refused to paint the Pope and Lady Diana, whose glamorous image was too strong for the raw nudity of his paintings.
A surprising painting that establishes Kate Moss as a contemporary art icon
A year after he invited the Queen of England to his studio, Lucian Freud welcomed the 28-year-old supermodel Kate Moss, whose face and body were on the front page of every magazine around the world. The duo met several times a week for almost nine months before giving birth to a portrait that made a lasting impression, and yet seems to be forgotten now.
The biopic Moss & Freud might give the audience an update about the culture clash between a sultry fashion icon and a renowned international artist. Yet, it will also revive the memory of an unprecedented friendship. The top model had already posed for many renowned artists, like Gary Hume in 1996, Tracey Emin in 2000, Banksy in 2005, Takashi Murakami and Marc Quinn in 2008… In all these artworks, her beauty is in no way marred, unlike in Freud’s Naked Portrait. Here, her body seems more realistic and features cruder details. That depiction was only possible thanks to their close relationship.
An unrecognizable Kate Moss
Kate Moss lies on a bed, naked, lustful, her legs half-spread, her arm casually resting on a white pillow, her head bent. Her body is almost unrecognizable, as the model was pregnant with her daughter Lila Moss. Her silhouette is stretched by the ambivalence between light and dark beige touches, while her face, cleared from her hair, is much more ringed and wrinkled than in her photos printed on glossy paper.
Only one detail confirms the subject’s identity… The mole on her right breast, a distinctive feature of the supermodel. Contrasting with the sensual, sexualized photo shoots of young Kate Moss, her body almost appears heavy here. It is laid down massively on the mattress and is devoid of any sensuality, despite the crude nudity of her position.
Sold for $5 million in 2003 by Christie’s to an anonymous buyer, the portrait of Kate Moss sealed the beginning of a close friendship. This friendship will remain engraved on the model’s lower back with a tattoo of two swallows drawn by Lucian Freud himself. The model has been joking about this anecdote since the artist’s death. In numerous interviews, she suggested that she would have a skin graft in order to sell it if she ever ran out of cash…
“Lucian Freud: Drawing Into Painting”, open from February 12th to May 4th 2026, at the National Portrait Gallery, St. Martin’s Place, London.
The biopic Moss & Freud by James Lucas has no official release date yet.
