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Lucian Freud

Head Of An Irishman Signed Print

Head Of An Irishman

Lucian Freud

Head Of An Irishman
Signed Print

Name: Head Of An Irishman
Brand: Lucian Freud
Rating: 5 (233 reviews)

Lucian Freud

£10,500-£16,000Value Indicator

$22,000-$35,000 Value Indicator

$19,000-$30,000 Value Indicator

¥100,000-¥160,000 Value Indicator

€12,500-€19,000 Value Indicator

$110,000-$170,000 Value Indicator

¥1,990,000-¥3,040,000 Value Indicator

$14,000-$21,000 Value Indicator

-13% AAGR

AAGR (5 years) This estimate blends recent public auction records with our own private sale data and network demand.

There aren't enough data points on this work for a comprehensive result. Please speak to a specialist by making an enquiry.

Medium: Etching

Edition size: 46

Year: 1999

Size: H 74cm x W 56cm

Signed: Yes

Format: Signed Print

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Track auction value trend

The value of Lucian Freud’s Head Of An Irishman (signed) is estimated to be worth between £10,500 and £16,000. This etching print, created in 1999, has shown consistent value growth since its first sale in April 2011. Over the past 12 months, the artwork has sold once, with an average selling price of £10,327. In the last five years, the hammer price has varied, from a minimum of £6,433 in April 2024 to a maximum of £16,128 in March 2023. The current average annual growth rate for this work is -13%. This work is part of a limited edition of 46.

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Auction Results

Auction Date	Auction House	Location
February 2025	Sotheby's New York	United States
April 2024	Christie's New York	United States
October 2023	Christie's New York	United States
March 2023	Christie's London	United Kingdom
July 2022	Christie's New York	United States
May 2016	Smith & Singer, Woollahra	Australia
April 2011	Sotheby's New York	United States

Meaning & Analysis

Lucian Freud’s Head of an Irishman (1999) is a sharply observed etching on Somerset wove paper, depicting a male sitter in formal dress. The work reflects Freud’s direct, unsentimental approach to portraiture, capturing both physical presence and psychological weight. It stands as a clear example of his continued engagement with etching into the later stages of his career.

Lucian Freud’s Head of an Irishman is a closely observed etching that reflects his enduring interest in the human face as a site of psychological depth. The subject’s downward gaze and acutely rendered features convey a quiet intensity, while the etched lines bring out the textures of skin and clothing with unembellished clarity. Typical of Freud’s later work, the portrait resists sentimentality, focusing instead on presence and immediacy.

Famed for his representations of the human form, Lucian Freud is one of the 20th Century's most celebrated artists. The grandson of psychoanalyst, Sigmund Freud, the artist confronts the psychological depth and bare complexities of the human body. From his early works to his celebrated nudes and portraits, Freud's canvases resonate with an almost tactile intensity, capturing the essence of his subjects with unwavering honesty. Freud painted only himself, close friends, and family, which floods his work with an intimacy that is felt by the viewer. His pursuit of honesty through portraiture shaped the trajectory of figurative art in the 20th century.

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