Artwork
After Chardin (small plate)
After Chardin (small plate) is a print by Lucian Freud. It dates from 2000 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum.
About this work
Overview
After Chardin (small plate) is an etching by Lucian Freud, part of a series responding to Jean-Siméon Chardin's The Young Schoolmistress. This smaller version focuses on a specific detail from the original painting.
Subject & Meaning
The print highlights 'the most beautiful ear in art' from Chardin's work, specifically drawing attention to the girl's earring, an often-overlooked element. Freud's emphasis underscores his interest in nuanced, intimate observations.
Technique & Style
The etching underwent revisions between its first and second states, with Freud adding hatched background areas to enhance contrast between the subject's face and the surrounding space, demonstrating his meticulous approach to composition.
History & Provenance
This proof originated from the collection of Marc Balakjian, Freud's printer from 1985. Balakjian annotated this piece as identical to the edition, highlighting its significance within the printing process. It is one of three such proofs in the V&A collection.
Artist & collection
Artist
Lucian Michael Freud (; 8 December 1922 – 20 July 2011) was a British painter and draughtsman, specialising in figurative art, who is known as one of the foremost 20th-century English portraitists.
