Artwork
Eli
Eli is a print by Lucian Freud. It dates from 2002 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum.
About this work
The print was made with help from Paul Dewis and Marc Balakjian, and it's notable because it was the first time Dewis was involved in the process.
The title of this print is Eli, created by Lucian Freud in 2002.
It's part of a group of prints that came from the collection of Marc Balakjian, Freud's printer. The print was made with help from Paul Dewis and Marc Balakjian, and it's notable because it was the first time Dewis was involved in the process.
The dog in the print belonged to David Dawson, a friend and assistant to Freud.
You can learn more about the artist's work at the Victoria and Albert Museum.
Overview
Eli is a 2002 etching by Lucian Freud, one of 143 trial and cancellation proofs from the collection of printer Marc Balakjian. It was produced through a collaborative process involving Balakjian and printmaker Paul Dewis, who handled the plate biting for the first time on this work. The print emerged after technical difficulties with an earlier piece, marking a shift in Freud’s printmaking workflow.
Subject & Meaning
The subject is Eli, a dog owned by David Dawson, Freud’s close friend, model, and assistant. The image captures the animal with Freud’s characteristic attention to texture and presence, avoiding sentimentality. The dog’s form is rendered with the same unflinching observation applied to human subjects, reflecting Freud’s consistent focus on physical reality over symbolic interpretation.
Technique & Style
The print was executed using etching, with plate biting performed by Paul Dewis at London Print Studio and subsequent proofs printed by Marc Balakjian at Studio Prints. Freud’s style remains intensely tactile, with dense, layered lines defining the dog’s fur and posture. The work exemplifies his methodical approach to printmaking, where incremental proofs reveal evolving decisions in tone and form.
History & Provenance
The print originated from the archive of Marc Balakjian, who served as Freud’s primary printer from 1985 until the artist’s death. Balakjian’s collection includes state proofs and cancellations that document the iterative process behind Freud’s prints. Eli is among those retained as part of this working record, offering insight into the artist’s late-period print production.
Context
Created in 2002, Eli belongs to Freud’s later period, when his printmaking became increasingly collaborative. The involvement of Dewis marked a change after earlier technical setbacks, notably with Large Head of Emily. The dog’s presence reflects Freud’s deep ties to his inner circle—Dawson’s role as both assistant and subject underscores the personal nature of his artistic environment.
Legacy
Eli survives as part of a broader archive of Freud’s printmaking process, preserved through Balakjian’s collection. It contributes to understanding how Freud’s prints evolved through collaboration and revision. Unlike his paintings, these proofs are not finished works but records of a disciplined, iterative practice, offering scholars a window into his method rather than a final statement.
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.
