Lucian Freud painting on view

An important new painting by Lucian Freud, ‘Skewbald Mare, 2004’, has been purchased by the Chatsworth House Trust and is now on view to all visitors at Chatsworth.

The painting, finished earlier this year, is on view to visitors at Chatsworth

The 11th Duke of Devonshire began collecting and commissioning work by Lucian Freud after the two men became friends in the late 1940s. The private collection now includes six paintings of members of the family, and a number of other works ranging from an early drawing to Freud’s 2002 painting of four eggs. There is even a private bathroom at Chatsworth with cyclamen painted on a wall by the artist when he was a guest in 1959. Another major Freud work, ‘Large Interior, W9’, owned by the Chatsworth House Trust and normally on view to visitors, is currently in America as part of a large touring exhibition of art from Chatsworth. The 11th Duke and Duchess of Devonshire were seen discussing Freud and his work in the new film about the artist which was shown on BBC1 on Wednesday 9th June.

The new painting at Chatsworth, Skewbald Mare 2004, was shown in the recent exhibition of new work by Freud at the Wallace Collection, which attracted much critical comment in the British and American press. The picture has since been shown at the New York gallery of Freud’s dealer, William Acquavella. The painting will remain on public view for the foreseeable future, until and unless it is lent to exhibitions.