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| Lucian Freud, Self Portrait 1985 |
He was renowned for his portrait painting and known for his impasto style. Impasto is the technique of applying paint to a surface in thick layers with a brush or palette knife so that the paint stands out from the surface.
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| Self Portrait 2002 |
The results were, I think, sensational. If you double-click on the picture you will get a better idea of how striking this portrait is and how honest his portrayal of himself is. He had a way of revealing some deeper psychological aspect of his subjects including himself.
16 comments:
Disturbing. Very disturbing.
Hi, Alicia. He was indeed a rather strange man but there is no denying his talent. He certainly managed to inject drama into his portraits!
Incredible. Absolutely the finest of techniques. As an artist and portrait painter myself, I am in awe.
Thanks so much Bazza... and the 23rd is my birthday!(woop, woop).
Hello Dixie. The 23rd? Ah, I see - this is Painting of the Month #23.
You saw 23 November and got excited!
How nice. I wish you an early Happy Birthday!
Do you ever show your paintings in your blog?
Dear bazza,
I have always admired Freud's paintings. I say admired, rather than liked, because I do think they can be, as Alicia says above, a little disturbing. Some I have seen are brutally honest representations of the body in all its ugliness, as well as beauty.
Great post, bazza, and looking forward to next month's painting!
With Very Best Wishes,
David.
Cool, detailed paintings. They look like they're alive, really. His impasto style of painting gave his pieces a kind of 3D look to them.
David: I think the quality of honesty is strong in his work. I can imagine the kind of writer he might have been; not sparing us any of the horrible details. I do find his work compelling and worth a long look in most cases.
Kezza: They do have a three dimensional look but that is also achieved by his skill with the use of colour. There is a painter called Frank Auerbach who appears to apply the paint with a shovel!
Sir Tom Eagerly says:
Troubling, Very Troubling - I can't get the cork out of this bloody bottle.....
Sir Tom: I don't think that you are paying proper attention to the subject Sir Tom!
Not long ago there was a documentary about Lucien on the BBC.
I was amused when a girl of about twelve, whose mother had sat for a portrait, asked why Freud had made her mother and others he'd painted look so ugly.
I agree with Alicia: the paintings are disturbing. He was a very strange man.....but his work is nevertheless compelling.
Rob: Yes, you summed it up well. Personally, I really enjoy his work but I can understand that he might polarise opinion.
There will be an exhibition next year, 9 February - 27 May at The National Portrait Gallery, London. I won't miss that!!
WOW! This portrait is incredibly intense and powerful. I could use a little of his patience in my own painting. The shadowing blows me away. Thanks for featuring Freud this month Bazza. It fits with November.
Snee: Yes, it's a bit autumnal in outlook. It's also a bit desperate!
Knowing how he worked explains a lot but it's not easy to use that knowledge oneself. I work very quickly with watercolours; I would never have Freud's patience.
Hello bazza,
I'm always been impressed with Lucian Freud's art work and his self-portrait work is truly sensational.
And thanks for clearing up the definition of impasto. I thought it was a technique involving large amounts of spaghetti.
Cheers old chap!
Hi Gary: The literal meaning of impasto, from the Italian, is 'knead', 'mix' or 'make into a paste' and as pasta means 'paste' your spaghetti remark is right on target!
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