Since his death in 2011, Lucian Freud's reputation asone of the greatest painters of the 20th century hascontinued to grow. Much has been written about histalent, his brilliance and his complicated personal life,but until now, his own voice has not often been heardabove the noise.Love Lucian brings together Freud's early lettersfor the first time. Gathered from both private collectionsand public archives, including the Freud Museum, theNational Portrait Gallery and the Tate, many of themhave never been published before and they are arevelation. Whether addressed to family, friends, lovers,confidants or benefactors, they are full of verbal andvisual wit, affection and irreverence. Ranging fromschoolboy letters to his parents through to his earlyrecognition as a professional artist, the letters revealnot only his earliest artistic inclinations many featuredrawings and characterful visual quirks but themultiple facets of his complex personality.Reproduced in facsimile alongside Freud'spaintings of this period, and linked by a narrative thatweaves them into the story of his often complicatedlife and relationships, including his first marriageand separation, they provide an intimate and freshperspective on the first three decades of the artist's life