On Valentine's Day Francis Bacon’s most seductive female portrait will be offered to the public for the first time.

The vibrant Portrait of Henrietta Moraes will feature in Christies February 14 evening auction of Post War and Contemporary Art.

Formerly held in a private collection for nearly 30 years, the piece depicts the Dublin-born artist’s friend and model Henrietta Moraes.

Francis Outred, European head of Christie's Post-War & Contemporary Art, said: “Searing with raw colour and texture, Portrait of Henrietta Moraes is one of the most seductive and sexually charged paintings I have ever encountered by Francis Bacon.

“The carefully constructed mood through colour is forcefully invaded by the extraordinary swipes of the loaded brush, which create the woman’s voluptuous figure.

“This juxtaposition of the sheer beauty of colour with the brutal physicality of paint is what makes Bacon’s art so remarkable.”