Freud

Lucian Freud was a portrait painter who observed his subjects with the regimen and precision of a laboratory scientist, recording the microscopic details of what lies within. His portraits of subjects such as the Queen, Kate Moss, and an obese job center supervisor penetrate the physicality of the body with a direct and often disarming insight, as much a psychological interrogation as it is an uneasy examination of the relationship between artist and model. This book brings together some of Freud's most outstanding and unapologetic portraits to introduce an artist widely considered one of the finest masters of the human form.

Format: Hardback
Length: 96 pages
Publication date: 28 January 2020
Publisher: Taschen GmbH

Lucian Freud, a renowned portrait painter who lived from 1922 to 2011, possessed a profound interest in revealing the truth. Defying the mainstream artistic currents of his time, Freud approached his subjects with the meticulousness and precision of a laboratory scientist. He meticulously documented not only the visible imperfections and contours of the living body but also delved into the microscopic realm, capturing the essence of what lay beneath the surface: the sensations, emotions, intelligence, vitality, and the inevitable decay.

While Freud rejected direct comparisons to his renowned grandfather, Sigmund Freud, the connection between Lucian Freud's portraiture sitting process and Sigmund Freud's psychotherapy sessions is a captivating aspect of his figurative oeuvre. Despite the substantial thickness of Freud's impasto surfaces, his portraits of diverse subjects, including the Queen, Kate Moss, and an obese job center supervisor, manage to penetrate the physicality of the body with a direct and often disarming insight. The result is a psychological interrogation that intertwines with an uneasy exploration of the relationship between the artist and the model.

This captivating book presents a selection of Lucian Freud's most outstanding and unapologetic portraits, offering a glimpse into the artistry of one of the greatest masters of the human form. Through his meticulous attention to detail and his ability to capture the essence of his subjects, Freud has left an indelible mark on the world of portraiture, inspiring and challenging viewers alike.

Weight: 556g
Dimension: 265 x 218 x 13 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9783836560634