Research dossier
Who was Joe?
Recent research undertaken by collector Joseph Clark, aided by his close friend Hugh Smithson-Wright, has opened new avenues of investigation into a small, enigmatic drawing by Lucian Freud inscribed simply “Joe”.
Current investigation
While the identity of Joe remains unknown, emerging evidence suggests the drawing may relate to a group of works produced during Freud's 1943 visit to Loch Ness.1
Comparison with known works from the period, particularly Jimmie (Ghillie at Loch Ness), reveals notable similarities in paper dimensions, paper ageing and patina, drawing technique, and handling of the figure.2
Research undertaken at the National Portrait Gallery has also highlighted parallels between the drawing and sketchbook material from the early 1940s.3
A significant development emerged through examination of William Feaver's biography The Lives of Lucian Freud: Youth 1922-1968. Feaver records that during Freud's summer 1943 trip to Loch Ness he carried a distinctive yellow-covered sketchbook containing studies of fellow travellers, local figures and observations made during the journey.1
This raises the possibility that the drawing may have originated from this sketchbook or from the same body of work. At present, that possibility remains a research hypothesis rather than a conclusion.
Material comparison
The word “JOE”
The graphite inscription is central to the research question, but its function remains unresolved. It may name the sitter, record a recipient, or point to another person connected with Freud. The page therefore treats “Joe” as evidence to be tested, not as a settled identification.
Profile study
The upper figure is handled with a searching economy of line. Current comparison focuses on the relationship between this handling and Freud's early 1940s sketchbook practice, particularly the compact, observational studies associated with the Loch Ness material.
Repeated form
The lower figure introduces a second profile element. Rather than assuming a second sitter, the research compares this repetition with Freud's early habit of revisiting poses, adjusting contours, and placing multiple observations on one sheet.
Material evidence
The graphite line, paper dimensions, ageing and surface patina are being studied in relation to known works from Freud's 1943 Loch Ness group, especially Jimmie (Ghillie at Loch Ness). These parallels are suggestive, but they do not yet amount to a secure dating.
Research agenda
Figure study
The drawing contains two figure elements, prompting questions about whether they represent separate individuals. Comparison with Freud's sketchbooks from the early 1940s suggests caution. During this period Freud frequently repeated figures, revisited poses and explored multiple views of a subject on a single sheet. The presence of two figure forms therefore does not necessarily indicate two sitters, and may instead reflect Freud's working process.
Research chronology
Summer 1943
The current investigation considers whether the drawing may relate to the body of work associated with Freud's summer journey to Loch Ness.
1943
Feaver records Freud carrying a distinctive yellow-covered sketchbook containing studies of fellow travellers, local figures and observations made during the journey.
Research observation
Research undertaken at the National Portrait Gallery has highlighted parallels between the drawing and sketchbook material from the early 1940s.
Ongoing
Collector Joseph Clark, aided by his close friend Hugh Smithson-Wright, continues to investigate the drawing's origins, inscription, material character and possible relationship to the Loch Ness group.
Object record
Provenance remains under review. The work was acquired by the Joseph Clark Collection in 2026; earlier ownership history and the circumstances of the inscription are subjects of ongoing research.
Ongoing enquiry
The identity of “Joe” remains unresolved. Researchers, scholars, collectors and individuals with knowledge of Lucian Freud's early works are invited to contribute information that may assist ongoing research into the drawing's origins and subject.
Contact the Research Project