Tamara de Lempicka's 'La Belle Rafaëla' Sells for Over $10 Million at Sotheby's

Tamara de Lempicka's 1927 painting 'La Belle Rafaëla' sold for over $10 million at Sotheby's London on June 24, 2025, in collaboration with the Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection. The work, estimated at £6-9 million (nearly €11 million), was the top lot of the evening sale of modern and contemporary art. It last sold in 1985 for $242,000. The painting depicts a reclining nude woman, Rafaëla, a young prostitute de Lempicka met at Bois de Boulogne in Paris. Rafaëla became the artist's muse and subject, also appearing in 'La tunica rosa' (1927) and 'Il sogno' (1927). Art historian Furio Rinaldi notes that de Lempicka's sapphic nudes portray contemporary women in realistic intimate moments, not idealized mythological figures. The work is described as 'one of the most extraordinary nudes of the century' and the artist's highest achievement. De Lempicka, a married mother, scandalized the era by depicting another woman with explicit sensuality, signaling their relationship. The painting's chiaroscuro tones, scarlet drape, and sculptural knee emphasize the model's femininity.