Lucian Freud is a German born painter, born on December 8th 1922 in Berlin, however he became a Naturalised British citizen in 1939. Grandson of Sigmund Freud, The pair were regarded as similar in that Sigmund was nicknamed master of the mind, while Lucian was known as master of the body.
One of Freud’s most iconic images was his portrait of Queen Elizabeth II, which divided both the press and art critics. In the portrait she wears a severe expression and her features are heavily rendered, in the style Freud has become famous for over the years. Some of the critics seemed surprised that Lucian Freud had the audacity to paint his monarch in his usual intense, penetrating style and even went on to call it a travesty. But in my opinion, it is a more realistic approach to painting than exaggerating beauty and erasing any blemishes. Freud takes her features and showcases her rugged, tired self not as hindrances but as part of who she is. The particular attention to her crown shows him highlighting her personality, as that is her character and pretty much all she is recognised for. The colours are dull, pastel and exaggerated in the shadows of her face, which is not a style I find aesthetically pleasing but the not-so-delicate tonal work is mysteriously luring.
Freud’s self portrait is my favourite of his pieces. The muscles and wrinkles in his face make a monstrously realistic map of shadows and contrast. His dull, expressionless face and naked torso are shown and there is an air of vibrancy in this image unlike his other paintings. Light hitting his face from the side casts a dark aura across his chest and lower face, and he shows no fear in exaggerating the amount of shadow cast.
In conclusion, Lucian Freud’s artwork is a representation of the true human form, and it is clear he has influenced the likes of Jenny Saville in their work. Unafraid of controversy, he shows his ability to paint and also take influence from his grandfather’s, Sigmund Freud, Psychological work.
Information found on: http://painting.about.com/od/famouspainters/p/bio_LucianFreud.htm
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