An exhibition reveals the complexities of Lucian Freud’s artistic legacy
An exhibition showcasing Lucian Freud’s sketches emphasizes how art overshadowed all else in the artist’s life, reports BritPanorama.
Freud’s appeal is often enigmatic, characterized by intense and sometimes harsh portrayals of his subjects, which can appear starkly disconnected from their identities. His controversial legacy is further complicated by personal revelations, notably from his daughter Rose Boyt, whose memoir describes her experiences posing for him in the nude as a young woman, highlighting a troubling dynamic between the artist and his sitters.
Despite his death in 2011, Freud has remained a significant figure in contemporary art, with more London exhibitions than any other artist this millennium. The current exhibition, Lucian Freud: Drawing into Painting, at the National Portrait Gallery, follows several others since 2019, showcasing the breadth of his contributions to the art world.
Curated by Sarah Howgate, who previously organized one of Freud’s highly attended exhibitions, the focus of this show is on **drawing**, illustrating a lesser-known yet vital aspect of Freud’s work. At the exhibition’s core are various **sketchbooks**, letters, and unfinished pieces, including childhood drawings. A particular letter Freud wrote to his grandparents before emigrating to the UK at the age of ten highlights his early reliance on drawing as a form of communication.
Freud’s artistic journey is mirrored in his correspondence, notably a letter to Caroline Blackwood prior to their 1953 marriage, which showcases his enduring yet stilted handwriting. The curator Tanya Bentley notes Freud’s magnetic personality, attributing part of his success to his familial connections, particularly to his grandfather, Sigmund Freud.
While some may view personal notes and intimations as inconsequential, they often reveal deeper truths about the artist. In specific drawings of Blackwood, who appears passive, the composition communicates a sense of confinement, paralleling the emotional weight of his writings. This interplay between vulnerability and artistic obsession exemplifies Freud’s complexity.
Freud’s sketches, particularly those of his wife, lack romanticism. They reflect a profound engagement with his art, prioritizing it above personal relationships. His drawings become a lens through which we understand his commitment to his craft, presenting art as an all-consuming entity in his life.
This fascination with the tension between a male artistic genius’s liberties and the realities of personal relationships raises questions about the ethical implications of admiring artists whose behavior may be ethically dubious. Freud’s relationship with those around him contrasts sharply with the tenderness evident in many of his sketches, such as those depicting babies and animals, which bring forth a complexity often overlooked.
Freud’s drawings, while often linked to larger canvases, offer a distinct perspective on his practice. The rawness observed in his paintings is tempered in his sketches, revealing a delicate interplay of line and texture that characterizes his exceptional draughtsmanship.
As Freud grew older, his approach to etching evolved, demonstrating a different observational quality compared to his painting techniques. He exemplified a restless creativity, continually shifting his methods in search of a visual language that suited his artistic needs, as noted by fellow artist Frank Auerbach.
Freud remains a compelling figure, capable of both repulsion and attraction, inviting deeper examination into his complex artistry and personal life. The phrase “Everything is a portrait,” often associated with him, may well be better phrased as “everything is a self-portrait,” reflecting the insularity of his artistic expression.
Lucian Freud: Drawing into Painting is on display at the National Portrait Gallery until 4 May.
