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Artists in 60 Seconds: Lucian Freud

By Shelley Esaak, About.com

Photo: Christie's Images Ltd. 2008; used with permission

Lucian Freud (British, b. 1922) Portrait of Francis Bacon, 1956-57 Oil on canvas 14 x 14 in. (35.5 x 35.5 cm) © Lucian Freud Photo: Christie's Images Ltd. 2008

© Lucian Freud

Movement, Style, School or Type of Art:

Contemporary.

Early in his painting career, Freud experimented with Surrealism and was also said, by some, to have had a passing fling with Neo-Romanticism. Since the early 1950s, his work has been typically classified as Realism by those bold enough to attempt labeling such a unique style.

Date and Place of Birth:

December 8, 1922, Berlin, Germany

Life:

Let's get this out of the way: Yes, he is the grandson of Sigmund Freud. Lucian Freud is best known in his own right as one of the "10 Most Expensive Living Artists" and his works go for high primary prices. The bulk of his paintings have been female nudes, along with some cityscapes, plant studies and interiors - all executed in his distinctive muted palette and visible brushwork. Some claim his work has a "bleak" or "nasty" feel, but he seems to treat his sitters with kind concern.

Important Works:

  • The Painter's Room, 1943
  • Interior at Paddington, 1951
  • Naked Girl with Egg, 1980-81
  • Leigh Bowery portrait series, 1990-94
  • Benefits Supervisor Sleeping, 1995

    Painter Working, Reflection (1993; one of numerous self portraits created over the decades)

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