Lucian Freud's self portrait with a black eye, predicted to sell for up to £4m last night as one of the star lots at Sotheby's contemporary art sale, failed to meet expectations, against the backdrop of an otherwise successful sale.

The self portrait, painted by the British artist after an altercation with a taxi driver, sold for £2.8m, short of its £3-£4m estimate. The painting was one of five Freuds that went under the hammer last night. This may have weighed on bidders, according to an art adviser who added that rarity is key in the fragile contemporary genre.