Auerbach had known Lucian Freud since the 1950s when they were introduced to each other by Francis Bacon. Their first encounter took place at the French House in Soho, a bohemian pub that was popular with artists and writers such as Augustus John, Malcolm Lowry and Dylan Thomas. From here a close friendship emerged, which would see Freud become an avid collector of Auerbach’s work, including landscapes of London and portraits of Auerbach’s friends and relatives. In this print, Auerbach has depicted Freud as if in mid-conversation. The etching was printed from four plates in black and grey inks. The dense network of lines creates an impression of the sitter's vigour while at the same time lending volume and form to the head and neck.