Francis Bacon’s studies for a self- portrait, hidden in a private collection for more than two decades, will go on sale for as much as 5.5 million pounds ($10.3 million) in London on June 22.

Christie’s International is betting that the 1980 triptych painting, “Three Studies for a Self-Portrait,” will set a record for Dublin-born Bacon, who is the U.K.’s most-expensive contemporary artist. The seller is an unnamed collector who bought the work from Bacon in 1982, London-based Christie’s said in a statement. The artist died in 1992.

Auction houses are driving valuations higher, after taking in $900 million at their New York sales this month — the combined total for Sotheby’s, Christie’s International and Phillips de Pury & Co. On May 9, an Andy Warhol painting of a soup can went for 20 percent less than Christie’s top estimate, indicating collectors may be resisting the run-up.

Posted: 05|26|06 at 4:04 pm. Filed under: Fine Arts Antiques.