Accession Number
90809
Medium
Charcoal on paper
Dimensions
76.2 × 57.1 cm (30 × 22 1/2 in.)
Classification
charcoal
Credit Line
Through prior gift of Mrs. Gilbert Chapman in memory of Charles B. Goodspeed and prior bequest of Maxine Kunstadter
Background & Context
Background Story
Lucian Freud's Pluto (1989) is a charcoal drawing on paper depicting a dog. Freud treated animals with the same unflinching attention he brought to his human subjects. The dog Pluto is rendered with dense, layered charcoal marks that build a sense of substantial presence and weight.
Cultural Impact
Freud's animal studies demonstrate the extension of his realist practice beyond the human figure.
Why It Matters
This charcoal drawing of Pluto captures the physical presence of the dog with Freud's characteristic directness.
