Artwork
Untitled
Untitled is a print by Lucian Freud. It dates from 1996 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum.
About this work
Overview
This unpublished etching is one of 143 trial and cancellation proofs from the collection of Marc Balakjian, Lucian Freud’s long-time printmaker.
This unpublished etching is one of 143 trial and cancellation proofs from the collection of Marc Balakjian, Lucian Freud’s long-time printmaker. Produced between 1985 and Freud’s death in 2011, these proofs document the iterative process behind his printed work. Only a handful of impressions were pulled for this piece, none of which were released for public distribution. The work remains in private hands, with two known surviving impressions.
Subject & Meaning
The portrait depicts Celia Paul, a painter and Freud’s partner during the 1980s and 1990s. Her presence in his work often conveyed intimacy and psychological depth. Unlike formal portraits, this etching captures a quiet, unposed moment, reflecting the personal nature of their relationship. The absence of context or embellishment directs focus entirely to her expression and posture, consistent with Freud’s approach to figuration.
Technique & Style
Freud employed drypoint and etching techniques to build texture through layered line work, characteristic of his late graphic style. The image was developed collaboratively with Balakjian, who adjusted pressure and ink application to achieve subtle tonal variations. The surface reveals the artist’s direct hand—hesitant strokes, reworked contours, and deliberate cancellations—evidencing the print’s status as a working proof rather than a final edition.
History & Provenance
The print originated in Balakjian’s studio, where he served as Freud’s primary printer from 1985 onward. He retained trial proofs as part of the production record, preserving multiple states of each image. This particular impression was never published or exhibited publicly. Balakjian noted that only three impressions were pulled; two are confirmed extant, including this one, with the third unlocated.
Context
Freud’s prints from this period reflect his broader artistic concerns: the human form as a site of psychological weight and physical presence. Working closely with Balakjian, he treated printmaking as an extension of his painting practice—slow, observational, and resistant to commercial reproduction. The unpublished nature of this work aligns with his preference for control over dissemination and his skepticism toward mass-produced art.
Legacy
The survival of these trial proofs offers insight into Freud’s working methods, revealing the labor behind his seemingly spontaneous imagery. Balakjian’s archive, now dispersed among institutions and private collections, remains a critical resource for understanding his graphic output. This print, though never circulated, contributes to a broader narrative of artistic process, emphasizing the value of unfinished or unpublished work in the study of an artist’s practice.
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.
