Lucian Freud's Early Portrait 'Man in a Black Scarf' Authenticated and Set for Exhibition
Early portrait denied by Lucian Freud shown for first time after authentication

Image: Theguardian
An early portrait by Lucian Freud, titled 'Man in a Black Scarf', will be exhibited for the first time after authentication. Created in 1939, the artwork was denied by Freud for years but is now confirmed to be his work, with the sitter believed to be John Jameson.
- 01The portrait was created in 1939 while Freud was a student at the East Anglian School of Painting and Drawing.
- 02The sitter is believed to be John Jameson, a friend of Freud and member of the whiskey family.
- 03Freud denied the painting was his due to a personal feud with the original owners, Denis Wirth-Miller and Richard Chopping.
- 04The painting will be displayed at the Benton End: A Paradise of Pollen and Paint exhibition at the Garden Museum in London from June 2 to September 20, 2026.
- 05In 2016, the painting was speculated to be worth over £300,000, while Freud's auction records reach as high as $86 million.
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Lucian Freud's early portrait 'Man in a Black Scarf', created in 1939, will be publicly exhibited for the first time after experts confirmed its authenticity. The work, which Freud denied as his for years, features John Jameson as the sitter and was initially identified as a Freud by Christie's in 1985. However, Freud's personal disputes with the original owners complicated its authentication. The work gained attention after being featured on the BBC show 'Fake or Fortune' in 2016, where art historian Philip Mould suggested its likely authenticity. Recent archival evidence from the Tate Britain confirmed Freud was indeed painting Jameson during that period. The portrait will be showcased at the Benton End exhibition at the Garden Museum in London, which highlights the connection between Freud and his mentor, Cedric Morris. Although Turner, the current owner, has not valued the painting recently, its worth was previously estimated at over £300,000. Freud's works have fetched much higher prices at auction, with one selling for $56 million in 2015.
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The exhibition will enhance the cultural landscape of London, showcasing significant art history.
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