Lucian Freud , Solicitor's Head (2003)

Solicitor's Head (2003)

Artist: Lucian Freud
Title: Solicitor's Head
Year: 2003
Medium: Etching on Somerset wove paper
Plate Size: 366 × 274 mm (14 3/8 × 10 3/4 in)
Sheet Size: 590 × 480 mm (22 1/4 × 18 7/8 in)
Designation: Printer's Proof — P.P. — one of only two aside from the edition of 46 + 12 Artist's Proofs
Signature: Signed in pencil, inscribed and numbered P.P.
Publisher: Acquavella LLC
Reference: F. 62
Type: Printer's proof — the rarest designation in the edition

Description:

Solicitor's Head (2003) is a major large-format etching from Lucian Freud's mature print practice — a monumental portrait of a legal figure, rendered with the unsparing observational intensity that defines Freud's entire approach to the human face. The subject — a solicitor, a figure of professional composure and social authority — is subjected to the same forensic gaze Freud applied to aristocrats, benefits claimants, pregnant women, and sleeping dogs: the social role dissolved by the act of sustained looking, the physical reality of the face emerging from beneath whatever persona the subject had prepared to offer the world.

Freud's etchings of the late career are among the most technically accomplished in the history of the medium — the cross-hatching building tonal depth with a patience and a precision that recall Rembrandt's self-portraits while remaining entirely of the twenty-first century in their psychological register. The Somerset wove paper — a fine British cotton rag with a smooth, receptive surface — is the ideal substrate for the fine linear work of the etched plate, each line of the face building toward a total that is simultaneously a map of a specific individual and a meditation on the condition of being looked at.

This impression is one of only two printer's proofs (P.P.) produced aside from the edition of 46 plus 12 artist's proofs — making it among the rarest of all Freud's print impressions. The printer's proof designation identifies impressions produced for the printer's own records during the printing process, outside the main edition and the artist's proofs: typically the most limited in number and, for collectors, among the most sought-after. With only two P.P. impressions of Solicitor's Head in existence, this example occupies a category of rarity that places it beyond the main edition and beyond the artist's proofs. Published by Acquavella LLC — the New York gallery that represented Freud in the United States and oversaw his print publications during this period. Referenced as F. 62 in the authoritative reference for Freud's prints.

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FAQ 

Is this an original Lucian Freud etching?
Yes — an original etching on Somerset wove paper, signed in pencil, inscribed and numbered P.P. by the artist, one of only two printer's proofs aside from the edition of 46 plus 12 artist's proofs.

What is a printer's proof?
A printer's proof (P.P.) is an impression produced for the printer's own records during the printing process — outside the main numbered edition and the artist's proofs. Typically the smallest category in any print publication, printer's proofs are among the most sought-after designations for collectors.

How rare is this impression?
Exceptionally rare. Only two P.P. impressions of Solicitor's Head exist — alongside an edition of 46 and 12 artist's proofs. This places it in the smallest and rarest category of all impressions from this work.

Is this work referenced in the catalogue raisonné?
Yes — listed as F. 62 in the authoritative reference for Freud's prints.

Who published this work?
Acquavella LLC — the New York gallery that represented Lucian Freud in the United States and oversaw his American print publications during this period.

What is Somerset wove paper?
A fine British cotton rag paper with a smooth, receptive surface — one of the most respected supports for intaglio printmaking, associated with the highest standards of British fine art printing.

Do you ship internationally?
Yes — worldwide, with museum-grade flat packaging for large-format works on paper, full insurance, and shipment tracking.

Drawn to this piece? Richard Prince's collection may move you in the same way.