A 100-year-old painting by a York artist is expected to fetch up to £250,000 when it goes under the hammer today.

The 5ft by 4ft picture, Under The Western Sun, was painted in 1918 by York-born artist Henry Scott Tuke, whose fans include Sir Elton John, prompting speculation about whether he will bid for this piece at Sotheby’s, London, this afternoon.

The 69-year-old multi-millionaire reportedly already has at least nine paintings by Tuke who was born at Lawrence House, St Lawrence, York, on June 12,1858.

The second son of York physician, Daniel Hack Tuke and his wife, Esther Maria Stickney, his great grandfather, William Tuke, founded the Friends’ Retreat in York in 1792 for the care of mentally ill people.

Henry Scott Tuke spent most of his life living and working in Falmouth in Cornwall, where he painted Under The Western Sun.

It was in Cornwall that Tuke met 17-year-old Falmouth post office messenger boy Tom White, who welcomed the chance to make some extra money by modelling for Tuke.

He was paid half a crown (or nearly 13p in modern money) for each sitting, with many of these taking place at Newporth Beach near Falmouth. Tuke even bought a bicycle for Tom so he could get to the beach more easily.

Tom White later recalled: “Tuke never painted me in a studio, but always out of doors, usually on the beach and always nude. My attitude to the whole thing was rather naive. I took it very lightheartedly ... My skin colour was important as Tuke did not want sunburn and I could not sunbathe in off times... I thought that being a model was not quite the thing and asked Tuke not to paint the likeness of my face in a painting. Tuke accepted my wishes and was a perfect gentleman.”

Tom White was able to save most of the money – about 80 pounds – he received for these sessions and spent it to buy furniture after he married Florence Amy Howlett in Romford, Essex, on October 5, 1935.