The painting, Collins, Cramer. (Courtesy Christie's)

With New York's major November art auctions just a few weeks away, the houses are slowly releasing news of the wares they will offer, hoping to stoke collector interest and build a roaring fire of bidding in the auction room.

Among Christie's latest highlights is a 2006 portrait of soap-opera superstar Joan Collins that shows her nude—in a L’Origine du monde-style pose—reading a book. The 36-by-28-inch work, included in Mr. Currin's first show at Gagosian, is estimated at $1.2 million to $1.8 million. The work is titled Gezellig.

Mr. Currin reportedly modeled the figure from the cover of a "1970s sex magazine," and took the image of the actress from the 1978 film The Stud. Ms. Collins was 45 at the time and, according to Christie's, "clearly still in her prime."

The work is being sold by television producer Douglas S. Cramer, who was an executive producer on the hit 1980s series Dynasty. Ms. Collins was a star on that show, first appearing in the second season.