Carla Bruni nude portrait to be auctioned at Christie's New York

A nude photo of the French First Lady, Carla Bruni, has been put up for auction at Christie's New York, just hours ahead of a state visit to Britain.

The portrait, by photographer Michel Comte, shows a younger Miss Bruni gazing thoughtfully into the camera with nothing but her crossed hands to cover her modesty.

The pose, apparently in reference to the paintings of French neo-impressionist artist Georges Seurat depicting models, is expected to fetch around £2,000 when it goes under the hammer on April 10.

Miss Bruni and her husband, French president Nicolas Sarkozy, are to arrive in the UK on Wednesday for the start of their two-day state visit, and will be meeting the Queen and the Prime Minister, Gordon Brown.

Mr Sarkozy has faced criticism that his flashy, Rolex-wearing image is not in keeping with his function, and he had hoped that the visit would add some much-needed gravitas to his public persona.

According to aides, he is relying on the refinement of his 40-year-old Italian wife to wow the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh.

Educated in a Swiss finishing school, Mrs Bruni speaks fluent English unlike her husband, who has been taking intensive lessons to catch up and impress his hosts during the visit.

Christie's defended its decision to put the picture on sale, describing Miss Bruni as "one of the most beautiful women in the world".

"It's a work of art. It was shot in 1993 when Miss Bruni was a model and it's a tasteful nude portrait executed by a well known, respectable artist", said Milena Sales, spokeswoman from Christie's.

"Christie's stands by the works it represents to its clients, it doesn't censor or pass judgement on any content or subject matter. It's a perfectly respectable work of art."

Via telegraph.co.uk

Nicolas Sarkozy marries Carla Bruni

French President Nicolas Sarkozy and his girlfriend Carla Bruni were married at the Elysee Palace on Saturday, local district mayor Francois Lebel told Europe 1 radio.

Lebel said he had performed the ceremony, which came less than three months after the couple met in the wake of Sarkozy's divorce from his second wife, Cecilia.

"I married two voters of the 8th district who live at 55 rue du Faubourg Saint Honore", Lebel said, giving the address of the presidential palace.

Sarkozy, 53 earlier this week, divorced Cecilia in October after 11 years of marriage, and six months after taking over the French presidency. Bruni, aged 40, is a singer and former model who has a son from a former relationship.

Lebel said it was the first time in the history of the French republic that a president had married while in office.

Bruni is a rich heiress of Italian origin who moved from a successful career as a supermodel in the 1990s to that of a ballad singer with a hit record.

The tall brunette has been romantically linked to a string of famous men including rock stars Mick Jagger and Eric Clapton as well as tycoon Donald Trump.

"I am a tamer (of men), a cat, an Italian," she told Le Figaro magazine in February last year. "Monogamy bores me terribly."

"I am monogamous from time to time but I prefer polygamy and polyandry (its female equivalent)."

Bruni reportedly met Sarkozy at a Paris dinner party organised by advertising magnate Jacques Seguela in November, one month after his divorce.

Photographs of the pair at the Disneyland theme park outside Paris were splashed in newspapers and magazines a month later, confirming Bruni as Sarkozy's new "queen of hearts."

The president told a press conference last month that his relationship with Bruni was serious and all but confirmed that he planned to marry her.

Sarkozy has a 10-year-old son, Louis, from his marriage to Cecilia and two sons, Pierre, 22, and Jean, 21, from his first marriage to Marie-Dominique Culioli.

Supermodel Carla Bruni to marry French President

She's expected to become Nicolas Sarkozy's wife next month

Supermodel Carla Bruni and French President Nicolas Sarkozy are expected to announce their engagement - less than 4 months after his divorce from his second wife.

The French head of state is said to have popped the question on Christmas Day.

Nicolas and Carla, 40 – who are currently holidaying in Egypt - are expected to get hitched on 8 or 9 February in Paris, reports French paper Le Journal du Dimanche.

The marriage is reportedly being rushed because Nicolas, 52, has a planned state visit to Britain and it would look 'embarrassing' if he was the first French President visit the UK without a wife.

Carla will not be eligible for the Queen's hospitality if she visits the UK as Nicolas's girlfriend.

The Palais de l'Élysée has confirmed that it is to make a 'major announcement' today.

Nicolas divorced his second wife Cecilia in November.

Via nowmagaazine.co.uk