Lucian Freud’s portrait of his girlfriend has sold for £16.1 million.

The painting of Bernardine Coverley, entitled Pregnant Girl, was made by the Jewish artist in the 1960s and shows her asleep while expecting the couple’s daughter, Bella.

The work, which was sold by Sotheby’s at an auction in London on Wednesday, far exceeded its expected price of £10 million.

Oliver Barker, Sotheby's senior international specialist in contemporary art, said: "There is arguably no other portrait by Freud that is more gripping, more tender, and more laden with such emotional depth."

The record for a Freud painting was set in May 2015 when a life-sized nude was auctioned for almost £36 million.