Artwork
Woman with Arm Tattoo
Woman with Arm Tattoo 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
This is a print by Lucian Freud from 1996. It shows a woman with an arm tattoo. The print is one of 143 etchings he made with his printer, Marc Balakjian.
Freud worked closely with Balakjian on these etchings. The printer added a soft grey tone to the plate. The first proof was pulled on April 23, 1996.
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Overview
Lucian Freud’s 1996 etching depicts a seated woman whose forearm bears a tattoo, rendered in a muted palette. The work belongs to a limited series of 143 state, trial and cancellation proofs produced in collaboration with his long‑time printer, Marc Balakjian. The image exemplifies Freud’s late‑period focus on intimate, unidealised portraiture.
Subject & Meaning
The sitter is Sue Tilley, a frequent model for Freud during the 1990s. Her tattoo, a small decorative element, draws attention to the body’s surface while the surrounding treatment emphasizes texture and presence, reflecting Freud’s interest in the psychological weight of physical marks.
Technique & Style
The plate was incised and first proofed on 23 April 1996. Balakjian applied an even grey tone to the plate, a practice that softens the contrast of the line work and unifies the image, aligning with the subtle tonal range typical of Freud’s printmaking in this period.
History & Provenance
The etching is part of the Studio Prints collection assembled by Marc Balakjian (1938–2017), who served as Freud’s printer from 1985 onward. The series of 143 proofs was produced under Freud’s direct supervision, and this particular state reflects the final, approved version of the image.
Context
Freud’s collaboration with Balakjian marked a rare foray into print media for an artist primarily known for painting. The series of etchings, created in the mid‑1990s, captures a moment when Freud turned his attention to the immediacy of the printed image while retaining his characteristic focus on flesh and form.
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.
