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Coming soon: Reproductions of the young Lucian Freud’s letters published for the first time to coincide with the artist's centenary

Posted on 07 Sep 2022

We’re delighted to announce the publication of 'Love Lucian: The Letters of Lucian Freud 1939–1954' to mark the year that would have been the artist's centenary.

The young Lucian Freud was described by his friend Stephen Spender as ‘totally alive, like something not entirely human, a leprechaun, a changeling child, or, if there is a male opposite, a witch.’ All that magnetism and brilliance is displayed in the letters assembled in Love Lucian, many published for the first time. From schoolboy messages to his parents, though letters to friends, lovers, and confidants, to correspondence with patrons and associates as he became established as a professional painter, they are peppered with wit, affection and irreverence. Collectively, they provide a powerful insight into his early life and art.

Co-authored by David Dawson, Freud’s longstanding personal assistant and now Director of the Lucian Freud Archive, and Martin Gayford, author, critic, and friend of the artist, this is the first published collection of Freud’s correspondence. Reproduced in facsimile alongside reproductions of Freud’s artwork, the letters are linked by a narrative that weaves them into the story of his life and relationships through his formative first three decades.

Love Lucian: The Letters of Lucian Freud 1939–1954 will be published on 29 September 2022.