Lucian Freud Art
British, 1922-2011
Lucian Freud was one of the most influential portrait artists of the 20th century. His figurative paintings offer an unabashed view of his subjects, which included friends, family members and lovers, and are visceral and revealing while intuitively respectful. He was lauded by some and criticized by others for often painting his subjects nude, brazenly undraped or sensually posed.
Born in Berlin, Germany, in 1922 to Jewish parents, Freud and his family fled the oncoming war in 1933, settling in North London, England. He attended Goldsmiths College in London. When war erupted, he enlisted in the British Merchant Navy.
Freud’s paternal grandfather was the famous psychoanalyst Sigmund Freud, who also fled Germany before the war, but died in 1938. Lucian Freud maintained a lifelong fascination with psychoanalysis and instilled a psychological intensity in his work.
In his early years, Freud leaned toward realism, but as he aged and spent time with other artists, he began to explore Surrealism and Expressionism. He was part of a group of artists known as the School of London, which included Francis Bacon, Leon Kossof and Frank Auerbach. Artist R.B. Kitaj characterized these painters as having a unique style of work that leaned heavily into the figurative.
Bacon is considered Freud’s most significant influence. Before their friendship, his paintings were linear and thinly painted. After meeting Bacon, he stopped using soft sable brushes and employed stiff hog hair brushes, trimming them down to nubs. He used thick paint, layering and smearing each application to build forms through pigments. Even into his 80s, he would often paint for 14 to 18 hours a day, frequently depicting his subjects at larger-than-life-size. His artistic process could last one to two years for each work as he spent intensive time with prospective models.
He died in 2011 at age 88. Freud’s paintings can be found in numerous museums, including the Museum of Modern Art in New York, Tate Britain in London and the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. He was appointed a Companion of Honour in 1983 and a member of the Order of Merit in 1993.
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Artist: Lucian Freud
Portrait Head
By Lucian Freud
Located in New York, NY
Lucian Freud
Portrait Head
2001
Etching on Somerset Textured White paper
28 1/2 x 22 1/2 inches; 72 x 57 cm
Edition of 46
Initialed and numbered in graphite (lower recto)
Frame available upon request
Published by Matthew Marks Gallery...
Category
Early 2000s Contemporary Lucian Freud Art
Materials
Etching
The Egyptian Book
By Lucian Freud
Located in New York, NY
Lucian Freud
The Egyptian Book
1994
Etching on T.H.S. Saunders paper
18 1/4 x 16 3/4 inches; 46 x 43 cm
Edition of 40
Initialed and numbered in graphite (lower recto)
Frame available upon request
Published by Matthew Marks...
Category
1990s Contemporary Lucian Freud Art
Materials
Etching
Susanna
By Lucian Freud
Located in New York, NY
Lucian Freud
Susanna
1996
Etching on Somerset Textured White paper
20 x 19 5/8 inches; 51 x 50 cm
Edition of 40
Initialed and numbered in graphite (lower recto)
Frame available upon request
Published by Matthew Marks Gallery...
Category
1990s Contemporary Lucian Freud Art
Materials
Etching
Solicitor's Head
By Lucian Freud
Located in New York, NY
Lucian Freud
Solicitor's Head
2003
Etching on Somerset soft white paper
23 1/4 x 19 inches; 59 x 48 cm
Edition of 46
Initialed and numbered in graphite (lower recto)
Frame available upon request
Published by Matthew Marks Gallery...
Category
Early 2000s Contemporary Lucian Freud Art
Materials
Etching
Head of a Naked Girl
By Lucian Freud
Located in New York, NY
Lucian Freud
Head of a Naked Girl
2000
Etching on Somerset Textured White paper
23 1/2 x 22 1/2 inches; 60 x 57 cm
Edition of 46
Initialed and numbered in g...
Category
Early 2000s Contemporary Lucian Freud Art
Materials
Etching
After Constable's "Elm"
By Lucian Freud
Located in New York, NY
Lucian Freud
After Constable's "Elm"
2003
Etching on Somerset Textured White paper
18 7/8 x 15 inches; 48 x 38 cm
Edition of 46
Initialed and numbered in graphite (lower recto)
Frame available upon request
Published by Matthew Marks Gallery...
Category
Early 2000s Contemporary Lucian Freud Art
Materials
Etching
After Chardin
By Lucian Freud
Located in New York, NY
Lucian Freud
After Chardin
2000
Etching on White Somerset Textured Paper
30 3/4 x 37 3/4 inches; 78 x 96 cm
Edition of 46
Initialed and numbered in graphite (lower recto)
Frame available upon request
Published by Matthew Marks Gallery...
Category
Early 2000s Contemporary Lucian Freud Art
Materials
Etching
Woman on a Bed
By Lucian Freud
Located in New York, NY
Lucian Freud
Woman on a Bed
1991-92
Etching on Somerset Satin White paper
17 1/2 x 15 1/2 inches; 44 x 39 cm
Edition of 30
Initialed and numbered in graphite (lower recto)
Frame available upon request
Published by Matthew Marks Gallery...
Category
1990s Contemporary Lucian Freud Art
Materials
Etching
Donegal Man
By Lucian Freud
Located in Toronto, Ontario
Lucian Freud (1922-2011) was a seminal figure in 20th-century British art, celebrated for his raw and psychologically charged exploration of the human form.
With his distinctive fi...
Category
Early 2000s Expressionist Lucian Freud Art
Materials
Etching
The New Yorker
By Lucian Freud
Located in Toronto, Ontario
Lucian Freud (1922-2011) was a seminal figure in 20th-century British art, celebrated for his raw and psychologically charged exploration of the human form.
With his distinctive figurative intensity, Freud captured friends, family, and lovers in a signature brand of realism that he refined over a seven-decade long career. The artist revitalized traditional portraiture in England by imbuing his images with visceral complexity and exposing his subjects in harsh, often unsettling poses that reveal their vulnerability.
Freud's style is renowned for its striking emphasis on texture and physicality. His portraits are remarkably unsentimental and veer on harsh. Perhaps the most defining characteristic of his oeuvre is the artist's bold mastery of light and shadow. Freud accentuates every detail of his subjects with frenetic strokes and dramatic contrasts, carving out contours and imperfections with deliberate unflinching precision.
Although Freud produced several prints early in his career, he took a 30-year hiatus before reconnecting with the medium in 1982. As with the rest of his practice, each etching demanded months of work and many sittings, deepening the intrigue and complexity of his printmaking.
Completed in the last chapter of his career, "The New Yorker" offers a pared-back example of the artist's signature aesthetic. Freud captures his subject in a quiet moment of contemplation, his lips pursed...
Category
Early 2000s Expressionist Lucian Freud Art
Materials
Etching
The Painter's Doctor
By Lucian Freud
Located in Toronto, Ontario
Lucian Freud (1922-2011) was a seminal figure in 20th-century British art, celebrated for his raw and psychologically charged exploration of the human form.
With his distinctive fi...
Category
Early 2000s Expressionist Lucian Freud Art
Materials
Etching
Girl Holding Her Foot
By Lucian Freud
Located in London, GB
Etching printed with tone, 1985. Initialed in pencil and numbered from the edition of 50 (plus 15 artist's proofs) Printed on Somerset Satin White. Proofed and printed by Terry Wils...
Category
1980s Contemporary Lucian Freud Art
Materials
Etching
Donegal Man
By Lucian Freud
Located in San Francisco, CA
Publisher: Acquavella LLC
Printer: Marc Balakjian at Studio Prints, London
Edition of 46
Category
Early 2000s Lucian Freud Art
Materials
Etching
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Lucian Freud art for sale on 1stDibs.
Find a wide variety of authentic Lucian Freud art available for sale on 1stDibs. You can also browse by medium to find art by Lucian Freud in etching, paper and more. Much of the original work by this artist or collective was created during the 21st century and contemporary and is mostly associated with the contemporary style. Not every interior allows for large Lucian Freud art, so small editions measuring 15 inches across are available. Customers who are interested in this artist might also find the work of John Lennon, Beryl Cook, and Gary Hume. Lucian Freud art prices can differ depending upon medium, time period and other attributes. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $12,827 and tops out at $40,000, while the average work can sell for $25,654.
Artists Similar to Lucian Freud
Questions About Lucian Freud Art
- 1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022Authoritative sources do not provide an exact number of paintings that Lucian Freud did during his life. Experts attribute more than 250 works to the British painter and printmaker. On 1stDibs, you can shop a collection of Lucian Freud art.
- 1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022Lucian Freud is best known for his portraits and nude paintings. He painted models in real-time, asking them to sit for extended sessions. The relationship between the artist and model is explored in the paintings. Browse a selection of Lucian Freud art from some of the world’s top dealers on 1stDibs.
- 1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022Lucian Freud specialized in figurative art and was best known for his portraits and nudes. Sometimes called a realist, his work focused on creating the human form in a realistic yet intense manner. Find a selection of Lucian Freud art from some of the world’s top dealers on 1stDibs.
- 1stDibs ExpertNovember 4, 2024How much a Lucian Freud painting is worth varies based on size, historical significance, conditions and other factors. In 2022, his painting Large Interior, W11 (after Watteau) set a new record for the artist's work when it sold for more than $86 million at auction. Freud was one of the most influential portrait artists of the 20th century. His figurative paintings offer an unabashed view of his subjects, which included friends, family members and lovers, and are visceral and revealing while intuitively respectful. He was lauded by some and criticized by others for often painting his subjects nude, brazenly undraped or sensually posed. If you're in possession of a Freud piece, consider having a certified appraiser or knowledgeable art dealer assist you with the valuation process. Shop a selection of Lucian Freud art on 1stDibs.