Eli
Eli
Signed Print
Lucian Freud
£40,000-£60,000Value Indicator
$80,000-$120,000 Value Indicator
$70,000-$110,000 Value Indicator
¥390,000-¥580,000 Value Indicator
€45,000-€70,000 Value Indicator
$410,000-$620,000 Value Indicator
¥7,590,000-¥11,390,000 Value Indicator
$50,000-$80,000 Value Indicator
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: 2002
Size: H 78cm x W 96cm
Signed: Yes
Format: Signed Print
TradingFloor
Track this artwork in realtime
Watch artwork, manage valuations, track your portfolio and return against your collection
Track auction value trend
Auction Results
| Auction Date | Auction House | Location | Hammer Price | Return to Seller | Buyer Paid |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 2023 | Christie's London | United Kingdom | |||
| March 2023 | Christie's London | United Kingdom | |||
| October 2015 | Phillips London | United Kingdom | |||
| March 2015 | Christie's London | United Kingdom | |||
| February 2012 | Christie's London | United Kingdom |
Meaning & Analysis
This detailed etching was executed by Lucian Freud in 2002. At the centre of the composition is Eli, the pet whippet Freud gifted to his studio assistant and good friend David Dawson earlier in the same year. With layered hatching in the background, Freud mimics the depth and folds in the blanket that the small dogs nests in. The dog itself is curled up snoozing, with its tail sweetly tucked between its hind legs. With meticulous attention to detail, Freud has even etched the marks on Eli's belly and pronounced the glossy coat of the young dog.
As our collection of Freud's Dogs evidences, the whippet was Lucian Freud's favourite breed of dog. After the death of his beloved pet whippet Pluto, Freud gifted Eli to Dawson, as he clearly wasn't ready to work in a studio without a dog sauntering around. The etching is testament to Freud's adoration of the new dog, as he clearly observed the dog asleep countless times to capture it with such attention to detail.
In fact, the level of detail Freud used to capture the sleeping Eli exceeds that which he ascribed to some of his human subjects. The docile whippet was clearly a cherished companion for the reserved and contemplative Freud, and a charming presence in his studio in his older age.
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.
