Art Historian Catherine Lampert Reflects on Modeling for Frank Auerbach and Euan Uglow's Final Painting

Catherine Lampert, an art historian and curator, has spent decades modeling for prominent British painters including Frank Auerbach, Lucian Freud, and Euan Uglow. In November, Uglow's painting "Potiphar's Wife" appeared in a private sale at Christie's in London, sparking excitement for Lampert who had long sought its whereabouts. The artwork depicts a woman lying against a blue wall, her legs crossed and arms stretched behind her, seemingly restraining a man in a T-shirt as both figures clutch an orange cloth. This was the final painting Uglow discussed with Lampert before his death from cancer in August 2000. Lampert first met Uglow in her early twenties and organized his major 1974 exhibition. During his final months, she was compiling the catalogue raisonné of his complete works. Her modeling relationship with Frank Auerbach spanned 46 years, an experience she describes as transformative. Lampert's career has intertwined with these artists both professionally and personally, providing unique insights into their creative processes.