Lucian Freud’s Etchings Exhibition at Poole Museum
14TH FEBRUARY - 21ST JUNE POOLE MUSEUM
This spring, Poole Museum is offering visitors a chance to see a different side of one of Britain’s most famous artists. Lucian Freud’s Etchings: A Creative Collaboration brings together a striking collection of prints that reveal the artist away from the easel, working instead with ink, copper plates and a lot of experimentation.
While Freud is best known for his intense, uncompromising paintings, printmaking was a passion he returned to again and again throughout his career. Most of the works in this exhibition are unpublished and have rarely been exhibited before, so this is a not-to-be-missed opportunity to see them together! They offer fascinating glimpses into Freud’s creative process and spotlight the remarkable teamwork between artist and printer.
The exhibition also tells the story of a long‑running creative partnership between Freud and master printer Marc Balakjian. Over more than twenty years, the two worked closely together, pushing ideas back and forth until each image felt right. The resulting prints feel personal and immediate, capturing familiar faces and subjects with a rawness that’s different from Freud’s paintings but just as compelling.
Running from 14 February to 21 June 2026, the exhibition has a strong local connection too, reflecting Freud’s links to Dorset earlier in his life. With FREE entry and a programme of talks and hands‑on workshops planned alongside the display, this is an inviting opportunity to slow down, look closely and discover something unexpected at Poole Museum.
You can find Poole Museum at:
4 High Street, Poole
Opening hours are:
Daily, 10am – 5pm 0(last admission 4pm)
Old Town Salt Pig café:
Daily, 8.30am – 4pm
Closed Christmas Day & Boxing Day.
Children 12 and under must be accompanied by an adult.
Find out more on the Poole Museum website.
