Lucian Freud
- School of London
- Expressionism
Freud painted skin. Not the idea of skin, not an impression of skin, but the actual weight and texture and colour of a specific person's flesh at a specific moment. His portraits take months. The sitters come to his studio day after day, holding the same position, while he builds the paint surface in layers so thick that the canvas develops its own topography.
Biography
He was Sigmund Freud's grandson. The family left Berlin for London in 1933, when Lucian was ten. He became a British citizen in 1939. The biographical connection to psychoanalysis is unavoidable and he resisted it throughout his career, though his paintings of naked bodies on beds and sofas, viewed from above in harsh overhead light, invite exactly the clinical reading he rejected.
His early work is tight, linear, almost Pre-Raphaelite in its precision: the portrait of Francis Bacon from 1952, Girl with a White Dog, Hotel Bedroom. The shift came in the late 1950s when he switched from sable brushes to hog-hair, thickened the paint, and began working on a larger scale. The flesh became heavier, more present, more uncomfortable to look at.
He painted everyone the same way. The Queen sat for him (the result was controversial). His studio assistant and bookmaker 'Big Sue' Tilley posed naked on a sofa; the painting sold for GBP33.6 million. His whippets appear repeatedly. He insisted on working from life, never photographs, and never took commissions. People came to him.
He worked every day until a few weeks before his death in 2011, at eighty-eight. His last painting was unfinished on the easel.
Timeline
- 1922Born in Berlin, Germany, the grandson of Sigmund Freud. His father Ernst was an architect.
- 1933At 10, emigrated with his family to London to escape the rise of Nazism. He became a naturalised British citizen in 1939.
- 1944At 21, held his first solo exhibition at the Lefevre Gallery in London. His early work combined sharp draughtsmanship with a surrealist sensibility.
- 1951At 28, won a prize at the Festival of Britain for Interior at Paddington, a painting that established his reputation in London. His style was beginning to shift from linear precision towards thicker, more physical brushwork.
- 1954At 31, represented Britain alongside Francis Bacon and Ben Nicholson at the Venice Biennale, gaining international recognition for the first time.
- 1988At 65, the subject of a major retrospective at the Hayward Gallery in London. By this point he had fully developed his signature style of unflinching, fleshy nudes painted over months of intensive sittings.
- 2001At 78, completed a small portrait of Queen Elizabeth II, commissioned to mark the Golden Jubilee. The painting divided critics but confirmed his status as Britain's pre-eminent figurative painter.
- 2011Died in London at 88, still working in his studio until the end. Over his 60-year career he fathered at least 14 children, and his intensely private life was as guarded as his art was exposed.
Notable Works
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Where to See Lucian Freud
26 museums worldwide.
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4 worksThyssen-Bornemisza Museum
Madrid, Spain
Mon 12:00-16:00, Tue-Fri 10:00-19:00, Sat 10:00-23:00, Sun 10:00-19:00 · €14
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4 worksNational Portrait Gallery
London, United Kingdom
Sun-Thu 10:30-18:00, Fri-Sat 10:30-21:00 · Free
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4 worksThe New Art Gallery Walsall
Walsall, United Kingdom
Tue–Sat 10:00–16:30, Sun 11:00–16:00, closed Mondays · Free
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2 works
Art Institute of Chicago
Chicago, United States
Mon 11:00-17:00, Tue closed, Wed 11:00-17:00, Thu 11:00-20:00, Fri-Sun 11:00-17:00 · $32 adults (Chicago/Illinois residents less; under 14 free)
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2 worksBritish Council
London, United Kingdom
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Lucian Freud prints
Hand-finished archival prints from Lucian Freud's body of work.
Girl with Leaves - Lucian Freud
From £30.00
The Painter's Mother Reading - Lucian Freud
From £28.00
Portrait on a Grey Cover - Lucian Freud
From £28.00
Irish Woman on a Bed - Lucian Freud
From £28.00
Head of a Man (Self-Portrait) - Lucian Freud
From £28.00
Girl with a Kitten - Lucian Freud
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See all Lucian Freud prints →Frequently Asked Questions
Did lucian freud paint his daughter?
Yes, Lucian Freud's models regularly included his family, in particular his daughters. One such painting is the nude *Esther*, painted in 1980, which shows how he began to use paint more expressively as his career progressed.How did lucian freud die?
Lucian Freud died in 2011 at the age of 89.Was lucian freud related to sigmund freud?
Lucian Freud was Sigmund Freud's grandson. The family relocated from Berlin to London in 1933, when he was ten years old.What is lucian freud best known for?
Lucian Freud is best known for his powerful art that deals with the naked human body. He saw it in all its chromatic wonder and astonishing vulnerability.Where can i see lucian freud paintings in london?
Lucian Freud's works can be seen at Tate, National Portrait Gallery, Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum, and 2 other museums worldwide.Who was lucian freud's father?
Lucian Freud's father was an architect. His mother studied art.Why did lucian freud paint?
Lucian Freud painted a variety of subjects, including landscapes, still lifes, and portraits. However, he is best known for his powerful art that deals with the naked human body, seeing it in all its chromatic wonder and vulnerability.Why is lucian freud important?
Lucian Freud has a serious claim to be considered as part of the story of painting. His most powerful art deals with the naked human body, seeing it in all its chromatic wonder and astonishing vulnerability.Is lucian freud death?
Lucian Freud died in 2011 at the age of 89.Is lucian freud still alive?
No, Lucian Freud died in 2011.
Sources
Editorial draws on the following primary and tertiary references for Lucian Freud.
- [1] museum Touchstones Rochdale Used for: museum holdings.
- [2] museum Government Art Collection Used for: museum holdings.
- [3] museum National Galleries Scotland Used for: museum holdings.
- [4] museum Harris Museum Used for: museum holdings.
- [5] museum The New Art Gallery Walsall Used for: museum holdings.
- [6] museum Royal College of Art Used for: museum holdings.
- [7] book Hodge, Susie;, Artists at Home Used for: biography.
Editorial overseen by Solis Prints. Sources verified 2026-07-15. Click a source for details, or hover over [N] in the page above to preview.
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