A major exhibition of previously unseen works by the celebrated British artist Lucian Freud will open at the National Portrait Gallery in London next year. Titled 'Drawing into Painting', the show promises to be the UK's most comprehensive museum exhibition dedicated to his work, offering an unprecedented look into his private creative world.
An Intimate Glimpse into the Archive
Scheduled to run from 12 February to 4 May 2026, the exhibition will feature a wealth of material never before displayed in public. Curated by the gallery's senior curator of contemporary collections, Sarah Howgate, in collaboration with David Dawson from the Lucian Freud Archive, the show will include childhood drawings, 48 personal sketchbooks, letters, and unfinished paintings.
This intimate collection aims to shift focus from Freud's renowned paintings to his foundational work as a draughtsman. 170 drawings, etchings, and paintings will trace the pivotal developments in his seven-decade career, revealing the meticulous process behind his iconic portraits.
Masterpieces and Artistic Dialogues
Among the key highlights is one of Freud's most ambitious figure compositions, Large Interior, W11 (1981–3). The exhibition will place this work in direct conversation with the 18th-century masterpiece that inspired it, Jean-Antoine Watteau's Pierrot Content (1712), on loan from Madrid's Thyssen-Bornemisza National Museum.
Another fascinating section will explore Freud's long-term engagement with the work of John Constable. It will showcase his repeated attempts to reinterpret Constable's Study of the Trunk of an Elm Tree (1821), a pursuit that ultimately led to Freud's own painting, After Constable's Elm (2003). Both works will be displayed together.
Revealing the Artist's Daily Practice
The exhibition's core mission is to illuminate Freud's working methods, demonstrating how his drawings and etchings directly informed his paintings. Sarah Howgate stated that the show interrogates his lesser-known role as a draughtsman, bringing together his finest drawings from across the globe, many for the first time.
"This exhibition, taking place in London, the city Freud loved more than any other, reveals a less familiar side of his work," Howgate said. "It is a wonderful opportunity to understand his behind-the-scenes workings and day-to-day thinking as an artist."
An accompanying publication will feature conversations with the artist's daughter, Bella Freud, and David Dawson, plus contributions from writer Colm Tóibín and curator Catherine Lampert. For art lovers and scholars alike, 'Drawing into Painting' is set to be a landmark event, redefining public understanding of one of Britain's most important 20th-century artists.
