Tilley first sat for the renowned British artist Lucien Freud more than 10
years ago and was paid just 20 pounds (UK sterling) per sitting.  The painting
is due to be auctioned on May 13 (2008) in New York, Christie's saying it
could smash all records for a living artist's work.

Sue Tilley couldn't believe it when she saw a picture of herself naked in
an auction house window.

But she wasn't upset - simply delighted.

She was the model for a painting called "Benefits Supervisor
Sleeping" by British artist Lucien Freud.

The job centre employee, affectionately known to her friends as "Big
Sue", sat for the painting more than 10 years ago after being introduced
to the artist by a friend.

Sue Tilley, Benefits Manager, saying:
"Leigh Bowery was my best friend, and he was an extravagant
performance artist of the 80s, club runner and everything and he was working
for Lucien.  Leigh knew I worked at the job centre but he thought I should do
something to expand my mind so he slipped the seed in to Lucien's head that he
should paint me so he did."

Sue Tilley, Benefits Manager, saying:
"Thrilled really, you know obviously I've been thinking about it a lot
because I've seen it a lot in the newspapers.  I'm thrilled, I'd forgotten
quite how beautiful it was.  I'm very proud."

The painting has attracted huge interest since it was put up for auction
again, and could make art history.

Pilar Ordovas, Head of Post-War & Contemporary Art,
Christie's London, saying:
"We have estimated it in between $25 - 35 million dollars,  it will be
a new world record for the artist and we should hope it will also be a record
for any living artist at auction."

Freud's muse was paid just £20 a sitting and could only have imagined what
the picture might be worth one day.

Sue Tilley, Benefits Manager, saying :
"I did once day dream that I kind of thought that if this painting
sold this would happen, but not to the kind of limit that it has
happened."

Freud once said he wanted his art to "astonish, disturb, seduce and
convince."

Tara Brazier, housewife, saying:
"It's lovely, you feel like you could put your hands and sink into the
flesh,  it's so realistic."

Sue won't receive a penny from the sale and has no plans to give up her day
job.

Hayley Platt Reuters.