Artwork
Man Resting
Man Resting is a print by Lucian Freud. It dates from 1988 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum.
About this work
This is a print by Lucian Freud from 1988. It shows a resting man in a quiet, focused pose. Only part of him is visible—his bent left arm.
Freud worked closely with his printer to adjust this etching. He even changed the final image by covering the arm with pastel in one proof.
See how prints change from proof to final piece? Study how etchings are made at the Victoria and Albert Museum.
Overview
Man Resting is an etching by Lucian Freud, created in 1988. It is one of a series of proofs that demonstrate the artist's process.
Subject & Meaning
The print depicts a man, identified as Angus Cook, in a contemplative pose. Only a portion of his body is visible, with his left arm bent.
Technique & Style
The etching was produced in collaboration with Marc Balakjian, Freud's printer at Studio Prints. The plate was bitten and proofed on February 25, 1988. Freud made adjustments to the image, including masking out the arm with pastel in a later proof.
History & Provenance
Man Resting is part of a collection of 143 proofs from Studio Prints, formerly owned by Marc Balakjian, who worked with Freud from 1985.
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.
