France's first lady, Carla Bruni Sarkozy, features in an upcoming auction
of photographs in NY. The photograph, a nude of Bruni taken in 1993 is
estimated to sell between $3,000 and $4,000 (USD).

   NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES (APRIL 04, 2008) (REUTERS)

A nude photo of French first lady will be auctioned at Christie's
next Thursday (April 10).
    Bruni's portrait, taken during her modeling days in 1993 by
photographer Michel Comte, has attracted attention since she married French
President Nicolas Sarkozy in February.
    It is expected to fetch between $3,000 and $4,000 (USD) when it goes on
the block.
    Christie's international head of photos, Philippe Garner told Reuters
Friday that "a disproportionate amount of attention has ben paid to the
Bruni study, adding, "I think that is perhaps an inevitable fact of the
circumstance that, since preparing the catalogue, she has become the first
lady of France. I think it has certainly stimulated, provoked a number of
questions, but I think the questions are easily answered if people look at the
catalogue and see that picture in context."
    Italian-born supermodel-turned-singer Bruni, married Sarkozy in
February this year, less than 3 months after meeting the French premier.
    The photo of Bruni is among some 140 images from German collector Gert
Elfering. His collection also features work by Irving Penn, Richard Avedon,
Helmut Newton and Peter Beard.
    Four other photography auctions will take place on Thursday and Friday.
They include collections by Arbus, known for her black and white portraits of
people on the fringe of society, and Adams, the influential landscape
photographer.
    A portrait of 1950s and 1960s French screen siren Brigitte Bardot by
Avedon was expected to sell for between $80,000 and $120,000 (USD).
    Newton's "Sie Kommen (Naked and Dressed)", a pair of
photographs of models dressed and then undressed in strikingly similar pose,
was valued at between $40,000 and $60,000.