This poster shows Lucian Freud's 1952 painting of Francis Bacon which was stolen from the Neue Nationalgalerie in Berlin on 27 May 1988. Painted on copper, this tiny portrait measured just 17.8cm by 12.7cm, making it particularly easy to be tucked into a coat or bag.

Freud designed the poster himself in 2001 and copies were fly-posted all over Berlin in the hope that the picture might be returned. Under the english 'Wanted', the German text reads: 'For clues leading to the recovery of this small painting there is a reward of up to DM 300,000 exposed. Messages will be treated with absolute confidentiality, please call...' At the time of its making, Freud issued a personal plea asking "Would the person who holds the painting kindly consider allowing me to show it in my exhibition next June?".

Despite the high value of the reward - around £100,000 in the early 2000s - it remains lost to this day and, at Freud's request, when it is illustrated in the media it is reproduced in black and white. As one of only two paintings Freud made of his friend Bacon, the painting would likely be worth tens of millions today and Freud's wanted poster has itself become a collectable object.

Sources:
Maev Kennedy, The Guardian, 'Posters beg Berliners to bring back the Bacon', 22 June 2001
José da Silva, The Art Newspaper, 'Last photograph of Lucian Freud’s stolen Francis Bacon portrait published for first time', 12 October 2021.