The news of the exhibition comes as the gallery acquires 12 new works from the estate of Lucian Freud.
The National Portrait Gallery has announced a major new exhibition celebrating the work of Lucian Freud as the gallery acquires 12 new works from the estate of the artist.
Among the newly acquired works are eight etchings, including a trial proof, which are the first of their medium by Freud to enter the National Portrait Gallery’s Collection. A curated selection of these newly acquired works are exhibited at the NPG as part of a free display that explores Freud’s working practice and dedication to portraiture.
Meanwhile, archive research will form part of a major new 2026 exhibition, Lucian Freud: Drawing into Painting, which will go on display at the National Portrait Gallery from the 12th February until the 3rd May 2026.
One of the newly acquired etchings, which depicts the artist’s daughter, Bella Freud, will feature in the new exhibition, the first of the National Portrait Gallery 2026 programme. The exhibition will explore the artist’s lifelong preoccupation with the human face and figure from the 1930s to the early twenty-first century, focusing on Freud’s mastery of drawing in all its forms – from pencil, pen, and ink to charcoal and etching. Tickets will go on sale this autumn.
Carys Lewis Archivist, National Portrait Gallery said: “The Lucian Freud Archive at the National Portrait Gallery is an incredible resource that helps us share unique insights into the artist’s working practice, from his childhood drawings to later sketchbooks. Ahead of next year’s major exhibition, which will focus on Freud’s skill as a draughtsman across many mediums, this free archive display in gallery 26 will delve into the ways in which he worked as a printmaker, displaying his tools and trial proofs alongside new etchings – the first to enter the NPG’s Collection. We’re delighted the Arts Council has supported the NPG in allocating the etchings and archive material to us.”
To find out more about the exhibition visit: https://www.npg.org.uk/whatson/exhibitions/2026/lucian-freud-drawing-into-painting