Lucian Freud's 'Sketch of Goldie' offers a unique insight into the artist's creative process and fascination with horses. This charcoal sketch, later worked up with oil paint, depicts Goldie, a beautiful horse with a long flaxen mane and tail, known for her strong and powerful appearance.

The artwork originated during Freud's time as an unofficial 'artist in residence' at the Wormwood Scrubs Pony Centre between 2003 and 2006. This period combined Freud's love of horses, riding, and painting, allowing him to explore equine subjects in depth. Goldie was the second horse Freud chose to paint at the centre, following his work on 'The Grey Gelding'. Freud's inspiration for 'Sketch of Goldie' came from the horse's striking appearance. Sister Mary Joy Langdon, the centre's founder, described Goldie as "very beautiful and a stunning looking horse," noting her independent nature and strong will. These qualities initially attracted Freud to Goldie as a subject. This decision highlights Freud's approach to his subjects, emphasising the importance he placed on the personality and character of his models, even when working with animals.

The significance of 'Sketch of Goldie' within Freud's oeuvre lies in its rarity and the insight it provides into his artistic process. As an unfinished work, it offers a unique perspective on how Freud approached his canvases, first sketching his subject in charcoal before developing the composition with oil paint. Offering a rare insight into Freud's practice is particularly valuable, given his reputation for intense, prolonged sittings and meticulous attention to detail. The artist was known to destroy pieces he considered incomplete or unsatisfactory, but in this case, he chose to leave it with Sister Mary-Joy Langdon, the centre's founder. This decision gives art historians a unique glimpse into Freud's working methods and initial compositional approaches.

Furthermore, 'Sketch of Goldie' represents an important phase in Freud's late period when he focused more on animal subjects, particularly horses. This period allowed him to explore themes of power, beauty, and the relationship between humans and animals, which had been present throughout his work but became more pronounced in these equine studies.

The artwork was created immediately after Freud completed 'Grey Gelding,' featuring an Arab horse named Releef, before his renowned paintings of Sioux, the skewbald mare1. Freud's process involved sketching the subject in charcoal before developing it with oils, though this piece remained unfinished. The composition is notably distinctive, featuring Goldie in a side-on pose with a partially truncated muzzle. This cropped perspective would later become a characteristic element in Freud's subsequent horse portraits, including his 'Skewbald Mare' (2004) and 'Mare Eating Hay' (2006). The work is highly gestural, reflecting the artist's confidence and the horse's strong character.

The artwork reflects Freud's commitment to direct observation and his preference for working from life rather than photographs. His regular visits to the Wormwood Scrubs Pony Centre and his interactions with the horses there demonstrate his dedication to understanding his subjects intimately.

'Sketch of Goldie' is a testament to Freud's artistic process, his fascination with horses, and his unwavering commitment to capturing the essence of his subjects. While unfinished, it provides valuable insights into the working methods of one of the 20th century's most significant figurative painters.