Lucian Freud (1922-2011), one of the foremost British artists of the 20^th century, was best known as a painter, but he also made many etchings of the subjects and sitters featured in his paintings.  The prints were not copies of the paintings; they were conceived independently and required separate sittings.

While painting was a solitary pursuit for Freud, etching was a collaborative endeavour.  He made most of his etchings from 1986 onwards when he began working with master printer Marc Balakjian (1938-2017) at Studio Prints, London.  They conferred on all aspects of the production process, with Freud studying each proof and adding hand-drawn marks indicating those areas he wanted to revise on the plate.

This exhibition organised by the Victoria and Albert Museum, London, features highlights from a unique collection of trial proofs gathered by Balakjian which he printed throughout his collaboration with Freud.  Some relate to published prints; others are rare impressions of prints that Freud abandoned or rejected. Seen together these impressions illuminate the creative partnership between artist and printer and demonstrate the ways in which Balakjian’s exceptional skills supported Freud’s achievements in print.

www.vam.ac.uk

Lucian Freud: Trial proof of Pluto Aged 12, 2000, etching with pastel. Printed by Marc Balakjian

© The Lucian Freud Archive. All Rights Reserved 2025 / Bridgeman Images

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