A painting of one of Donegal’s most successful businessmen is set to reach an eye-watering €17M when it goes under the hammer.
The painting, ‘Donegal Man’, was captured by the late artist Lucian Freud.
And the subject for the artist is none other than Buncrana-born Pat Doherty, the man behind Harcourt Developments.
Doherty and Freud were close friends and the Buncrana man sat for an incredible 600 hours for the painting.
When Freud, the grandson of psychoanalyst Sigmund Freud, initially approached the no-nonsense Donegal man, Doherty told him to “eff off” but agreeing to cooperate.
Doherty once remarked of the painting “It’s certainly an experience. Well, they’re not pretty. I told Lucien I might grow into them – in 30 years’ time”
He may well grow into it when the painting is auctioned by Dickenson Auctioneers in London next month.
