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.
Find original Lucian Freud prints and multiples, drawings and watercolors and other art on 1stDibs.
Lucian Freud Framed Vintage Recent Works Exhibition Poster Nudes Portrait Series
By Lucian Freud
Located in Studio City, CA
A wonderful, quite captivating image/vintage poster by UK (German born) artist/painter Lucian Freud from his 1993-94 Recent Works exhibition which had shows in London, New York and M...
Metal
Galerie Maeght Original Poster by Francis Bacon & Lucian Freud, 1995
By Lucian Freud, Francis Bacon
Located in Winchester, GB
Featuring his 1965 painting "Reflection with Two Children (Self-Portrait)", this poster was created for the Lucian Freud and Francis Bacon joint exhibition at the Fondation Maeght in...
Paper
Original Pablo Picasso Poster, 1957, Galerie Louise Leiris
By Mourlot, Pablo Picasso
Located in Sharon, CT
Important early original poster by Picasso, printed by his lithographer, Mourlot. Paris, for an exhibition of paintings at Galerie Louise Leiris, 1957. Literature: Bloch, 1275; Mo...
Paper
Yaacov Agam Framed Circle Gallery Exhibition Poster, 1980s
Located in Miami, FL
Original exhibition poster published in 1980 by Circle Gallery, Ltd. to promote a solo exhibition by the pioneering kinetic artist Yaacov Agam. The composition highlights Agam’s sign...
Glass, Paper
$1,306
H 24.41 in W 16.54 in D 0.04 in
Original Vintage Art Exhibition Poster Pablo Picasso Recent Engravings Madoura
By Pablo Picasso
Located in London, GB
Original vintage art exhibition poster - Picasso Gravues Recentes / Recent Engravings - held from August to September 1969 at the Galerie Madoura gallery in La Plan Vallaruois France...
Paper
$824
H 33.08 in W 23.23 in D 0.04 in
Original Vintage Art Exhibition Poster Vincent Van Gogh Self Portrait Painting
By Vincent van Gogh
Located in London, GB
Original vintage art exhibition poster - Vincent van Gogh gemalde aquarelle zeichnungen / paintings watercolours drawings - organised by the Volkswagen werk AG Stadthalle Worfsburg a...
Paper
$1,200
H 36.25 in W 24.25 in D 0.75 in
Framed Calder Galerie Maeght Lithograph Poster Maeght Editeur - Arte Paris 70s
By Galerie Maeght, Calder
Located in New York, NY
Bold, colorful and graphic Galerie Maeghgt Calder Poster by Maeght Editeur - Arte Paris. The poster is in it's original vintage frame with a blue mat border, aluminum frame and gla...
Paper
$575
H 27.5 in W 20.5 in D 1.5 in
Alberto Giacometti Exhibition Galerie Maeght Poster 1951 in Silver Frame
By Alberto Giacometti
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Alberto Giacometti (1901-1966) Exhibition poster from his 1951 signed in Plate - in good condition with some faint creasing. The poster is a fine representation of the artist. Fr...
Metal
Vassily Kandinsky Galerie Maeght Exhibition Poster, 1965
By (after) Wassily Kandinsky, Galerie Maeght
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Vassily Kandinsky Galerie Maeght Exhibition Poster Paris, France, 1965 unframed nice vintage condition some waviness - see images
Paper
$753
H 35.44 in W 23.63 in D 0.79 in
Marc Chagall Original Exhibition Poster for Galerie Maeght, Paris, 1981
Located in Hammarö, SE
Original exhibition poster produced for Marc Chagall’s Lithographies originales récentes exhibition at Galerie Maeght, Paris, held from 20 May to 10 July 1981. Published by Galerie M...
Plastic, Paper
Galerie Maeght Calder Poster "Stabiles"
By Alexander Calder, Galerie Maeght
Located in New York, NY
Vintage Galerie Maeght Calder poster, "Stabiles" one of a collection we are offering on 1st dibs.
Paper
$350
H 28.5 in W 26.5 in D 1 in
Yaacov Agam Circle Gallery SoHo Exhibition Poster 1980 Exhibition Poster
By Yaacov Agam
Located in Keego Harbor, MI
This vibrant exhibition poster features the dynamic geometric work of Yaacov Agam, a pioneer of kinetic and optical art. Created for Agam's solo show at Circle Gallery in SoHo, New Y...
Paper
Fernand Leger Exhibition Poster
By (after) Fernand Léger
Located in Pasadena, TX
This poster is from the 1956 exhibition. The colors are vibrant and its in it's original from which is period.
Paper
Claude Garache 1975 Galerie Maeght Poster
By Claude Garache
Located in Melbourne, Victoria
This is an original vintage poster from 1975 to promote the exhibition of Claude Garache at the Gallery Maeght, in Paris. Claude Garache is a French art...
Paper
Sold
H 0.75 in W 10 in D 11 in
Lucian Freud Paintings, by Robert Hughes, Thames and Hudson 1987, First Edition
By Lucian Freud
Located in New York, NY
Lucian Freud Paintings book, by Robert Hughes. Printed in the UK by Thames and Hudson, 1987 First Edition. Hardcover, text in English. Lucian Freud's startling, disconcerting painti...
Paper