remembering Lucian Freud

, 25 July 2011
news

Sigmund Freud’s grandson was considered, along with Bacon, one of the most prominent figures of the 20th century English painting. Both friends, both part of the vague “The School of London” group, both equally successful at Sotheby’s art sales and also (although not similarly) addicted to sex…. and some even say Lucian managed to father as many as 40 children…

Self-Portrait With A Black Eye sold at Sotheby's in London last year

A brutal but shy artist obsessed with flesh who just died last week after nearly 7 decades dedicated to face-painting… of famous and ordinary… “restoring portraiture to its proper place” as art critic William Feaver would say.

A Germanic Brit realistic Surrealistic who preferred oversized nudes with awkward poses to his own sitters and who despite being one of greatest realist painters of the post-war era he didn’t have that many solo exhibitions during his lifetime (last one @ Beaubourg in 2010).

Kate Moss asked him for a portrait....

But it seems like the National portrait gallery in London has just announced a major new exhibition of the seminal British painter for next February (9 February – 27 May 2012) bringing together over 100 of his greatest portraits (seems like it was in its final planning stages before the artist’s death), quite a good opportunity to revisit the eternal student.

Soldiers at Rye

22 April 2011

Sigmund Freud’s grandson was considered, along with Bacon, one of the most prominent figures of the 20th century English painting. Both friends, both part of the vague “The School of London” group, both equally successful at Sotheby’s art sales and also (although not similarly) addicted to sex…. and some even say Lucian managed to father as many as 40 children…

Self-Portrait With A Black Eye sold at Sotheby's in London last year

A brutal but shy artist obsessed with flesh who just died last week after nearly 7 decades dedicated to face-painting… of famous and ordinary… “restoring portraiture to its proper place” as art critic William Feaver would say.

A Germanic Brit realistic Surrealistic who preferred oversized nudes with awkward poses to his own sitters and who despite being one of greatest realist painters of the post-war era he didn’t have that many solo exhibitions during his lifetime (last one @ Beaubourg in 2010).

Kate Moss asked him for a portrait....

But it seems like the National portrait gallery in London has just announced a major new exhibition of the seminal British painter for next February (9 February – 27 May 2012) bringing together over 100 of his greatest portraits (seems like it was in its final planning stages before the artist’s death), quite a good opportunity to revisit the eternal student.

  share news item