Lucian Freud - The Inheritance of Psychology
Born on 18 December 1922 in Berlin, Germany, Lucian Freud is arguably the most renowned figurative painter of the 20th century. In 1933, when Hitler became Chancellor, the Freud family moved to London. At the age of 17, Freud’s drawings were first published in the magazine, ‘Horizon’. This was to be the start of a long and celebrated career.
Lucian Freud
It is evident that Freud was highly psychologically involved. His Austrian grandfather, the great Sigmund Freud, was a professional psychologist. It is without doubt the pinnacle of his obsession, psychologically as well as physically stripping his models in a likeness to that of a psychologist and his or her patient; dissecting and exposing their reality on canvas. This approach gives the impression from the viewer’s perspective that there is nothing to hide. Yet in another sense, Freud gives absolutely nothing away in his paintings. His reluctance to let his personal life dictate the outcome of a painting brings a cleverly implemented furtive quality to his work. Even the very titles of his works tend to leave you unquestionably pondering.
Painters who use life itself will eventually reveal every facet of their lives – Lucian Freud
This statement implies that Freud is extremely cautious as an artist of revealing aspects of his life that may give away meaning in his paintings and retract any significant interpretation from the viewers point of view. Therefore, it is near impossible to biographically interpret his work. The models in Freud’s work seem emotionless, alienated and disorientated; a facet of his work that has and will continue to ask questions for many years to come.
What do I ask of a painting? I ask it to astonish, disturb, seduce, convince. – Lucian Freud
