Who is Lucian Freud|Portrait Artist|Figurative Art

Most great painters must wait till they are dead before they achieve greatness. The few who have gained the notoriety they deserve are household names such as Dali, Picasso, and Van Gough. One painter who is still alive and truly should be added to that list of greats is Lucian Freud. Lucian has been widely known for many years in Europe, and especially his home in England, but the world has not embraced him as they have the others. Many people have admired his work in many venues, but lack the name of the artist. In fact, Lucian Freud's painting "Big Sue" was sold at an auction in Europe for $33.5 million dollars. This means that Freud has been able too sell more art in his lifetime than most dead famous artists, not to mention all of the living artists to date. This is quite a feat for a poor young kid from Berlin.

Lucian Freud's father was the son of Sigmund Freud, the famous psychologist. Lucian was born December 8, 1922. When he was eleven, Adolf Hitler was elected to the highest office in Germany, and his parents decided to leave. He was educated in multiple art schools, one in which he decided to burn down. After a rough time in school he enrolled in the Navy and quickly left the navy. He garnered a small amount of attention and work with multiple paintings of his ex-wives. Then after WWII he had a showing at the Festival of Britain where he won multiple awards for his "Interior Paddington". "Interior" is a painting where the observer feels as if he surprised the subject as he was walking into his sparse apartment.

Many of Lucian's early paintings, and some consider the height of his creative genius, were of beautiful nude women. Unlike many of his contemporaries, he posed his models in very normal poses or as they were sleeping. The pinnacle of this time period was Big Sue, a painting of a large woman on a smaller divan.

Later in his life he found that though the female body with its supple curves were beautiful to paint, the male nude with its hard rough lines was more interesting. During this era he developed a relationship with his sitter and performance artist Leigh Bowery. He was Lucian's subject till his untimely death because of the AIDS virus in 1984. After this split, Lucian's work slowed, but his creativity and originality has not been better. In his entire breadth of work; the nudes or the people being people, he is considered a great artist of both the 20th century and this one.

Mark Traston is an associate with Portrait Painting. The company specializes in turning a photo to painting. Each portrait artist specializes in a specific area including wedding paintings, pet portraits, and executive portraits.

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Sigmund Freud was not given a Noble Prize because allegedly they could not find a subject for him. Lucian Michael Freud or Lucian Freud, his grandson, faced almost similar dilemma in his entire life of escapism from being slotted while, at the same time, finding his own idiom. Born on December 08, 1922 in Berlin, Germany to Jewish parents, British painter, Lucian Freud's family, moved from Germany to Britain in 1933, escaping the Nazi prosecution. He was, for a while in 1941, drafted into the Navy and served on Atlantic convoys before being invalidated in 1942. Although, trained as an artist at the Central School of Art, London, Cedric Morris' East Anglian School of Painting & Drawing, Dedham, and Goldsmiths College, University of London (1942-3), Lucian Freud, found his true calling in 1943, only after he did a series of sketches for a book of poetry, The Glass Tower by Nicholas Moore. A couple of illustrations in the book have influenced his painting, "The Painter's Room (1944)." Freud held his first solo exhibition in 1944 at the Alex Reid & Lefevre Gallery.

Lucian's forte is Surrealism & Neo-realism, and he has stuck to it, unlike other artists who have a reputation of flitting between different experimentations. His techniques, in fact, are nothing novel or stupendously different. He does anyway manage to coax out "life" from his subjects, howsoever surreal the settings may be. Freud's subjects have always been archetypal in their own rights. This is quite surprising in an era when representational art is considered passé. That his prices have survived an entire century of modernist onslaught is a tribute to his expertise.

From 1950s, Lucian Freud ventured with portraits, especially nudes. His "After Cezanne (1999-2000)" is considered one of the most iconic of modern art pieces. Carried out in almost bizarre layout ever in art, naked bodies tangle over each other, finding some outlandish pattern in the random smattering. This overt use of nudes, often of people close to him, is a trademark of Freud. A major bulk of his works is nudes, often done in Impasto Style and very muted. Earth colors dominate his works and lend a very subdued character to his paintings. Most of the times, there is only one main nude with the background being empty or just broken by another figure of a man or an animal. "Girl with a White Dog (1951-52)" is a concrete example of this type of Lucian's painting.

Although, not strikingly as beautiful as those of some modern masters, Freud does command a hefty price in the art markets of Europe and North America. His "Benefits of supervisor sleeping" was sold for a staggering US$ 33.6 million, setting a world record for any living artist. As expensive as controversial, Lucian's works have been almost put on the stake by media over his painting of "Queen Elizabeth II (2000-2001)," to the extent of the tabloids labeling them as a travesty.

Lucian Freud's personal life has been colorful enough, as if, to offset the soberness of his art. Twice married and with as many affairs behind him, the artist has been "accused" of fathering forty illegitimate children by the British tabloids. He however, has weathered these slandering and bitter disputes, especially with gallery owners, to quietly and consistently produce good work as of date.

Annette Labedzki received her BFA at the Emily Carr College of Art and Design in Vancouver, B.C. Canada. She has more than 25 years experience. She is the founder and developer of an online art gallery featuring original art from all over the world. It is a great site for art collectors to buy original art. Is is also a venue for artists to display and sell their art . Artists can join for free and their image upload is unlimited. Please visit the website at http://www.labedzki-art.com

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Inspiration and envy make interesting bed-fellows, whilst at odds with one another, they combine perfectly to energize the mind and lubricate the sticky pathway that is the creative process. Inspiration, by definition is a theological influence with the sole purpose of solving problems, whilst envy is a fundamental part of human nature that causes more problems than it solves, however when the two are combined they fuse into what I believe to be a major factor in the flux of an Artists mind; The Muse.

The concept of the muse is one that has been around for centuries; Greek Mythology states the existence of 9 Goddesses (or spirits) known as 'hai mousai' which is a literal translation to 'men - think'. These Goddesses are believed to be the original source of inspiration for all Literature and Arts - they were the first instances of 'muse'.

However, the advent and study of Psychological science is something that has revealed that inspiration and the ability to focally scrutinize people and objects (to muse) to be something much more human than ancient Greek spirits; 18th Century Psychologist and Philosopher John Locke concluded that inspiration is come to naturally, by a series of ideas that begin as separate entities and are later gelled together in resonance to form an answer or previously unseen conclusion. This theory is hardly as romantic as that of the Ancient Greeks, but in an age of constant psychological scrutiny and obsessive interest in conditioning theories it is certainly more valid.

Another heavily studied aspect of the human psyche is one that we have all dealt with at some point; Envy. For many, it is a socially crippling curse that serves to damage self esteem, cause loathing of others and can ultimately cause clinical depression.

From the same school of thought as the aforementioned John Locke, came Immanuel Kant. Widely regarded as the last influential Philosopher of the modern European classics, Kante defined envy as comparisons we set between ourselves and others, which we then use to measure our own sense of self worth.

I believe that the theories of Locke and Kant are inextricably linked to Art(ists) and the (their) muse(s); In order to gain inspiration from another person, an Artist has to feel that a particular attribute of that person stirs some sort of emotion and therefore becomes a catalyst for inspiration. It is usually this attribute that the artist is envious of and therefore feels the need to portray, explore or sometimes destroy.

"I found him perfectly beautiful" was Lucien Freud's remark after his first meeting with Leigh Bowery at the Anthony d'Offay Gallery in 1988. Bowery had been 'performing' that day, modeling outfits that included several latex body suits.

Bowery's gargantuan body crammed into a skin tight suit is hardly what one would class as traditionally 'Beautiful', but Freud did. Was Freud referring to Bowery's physical appearance? Or was he describing something else, perhaps what Bowery's physical form and the outfits he wore stood for; confidence, freedom and individuality?

Despite being hideously overweight Bowery stood tall as a man unashamed of the fact his body was not stereotypically beautiful. He did not care that he lacked the figure of an Adonis and proudly displayed his curves in revealing clothes for all to see. It is this trait that I believe made Freud so fascinated with him. Where Bowery celebrated his form and flaunted it, Freud obsessed about its decline and documented it in his work, choosing to portray himself often in what could almost be described as a grotesque or unsightly fashion (see 'Reflection').

It is my theory that Freud became envious of Bowery with his open personality and confidence. He longed to rid himself of the insecurities and self doubt that had at some points in his life, led him to womanizing, which is well known to be a trait of those who crave attention and self gratification. At times these pursuits became so intense that it has led to rumours that he has fathered over 40 illegitimate children.

Freud's point of inspiration came from removing Bowery's most prominent 'defence'; his clothes. Without his fantastic Avant Garde ensembles Bowery was physically and figuratively naked. Out of his clothes his flamboyant personality would disappear, he would become shy and self conscious, or so Freud thought.

Bowery, to the contrary remained as confident as ever, posing however Freud desired, even in the most unflattering of positions without so much as a murmur that begged for assurance or compliment. A revelation that served only to fuel Freud's interest in the peculiar Bowery.

Posing for Freud was one of Bowery's favourite pleasures, until his New Years Eve death in 1994 Freud had not known that Bowery was HIV positive.

If Freud had have known about this would it have changed his opinion of Bowery? Would it have altered his perception of Bowery to the extent that he would have been repulsed that he had once been in his naked company? I don't know. One thing I do know is that Bowery clearly did not feel as attracted to Freud as Freud did to him. Freud was a source of income to Bowery, not a close friend, after all Freud was not one of the close few who knew Bowery's middle name.

In comparison to my next example of Artist(s) and the Muse, Leigh Bowery and Lucian Freud's relationship seems like a simple walk in the park rather than the tug of war between friendship and business it was.

Jane Burden, William Morris and Dante Rossetti lived a story that any Hollywood hotshot would have been proud to have written. A tale of Love, adultery, passion and betrayal all set in the charming time of late 19th Century, England.

As a child William Morris lived a steady life, his parents were not particularly rich but they did enjoy a good income that Morris felt the benefit of whilst being educated. He was very quick learning to read and was fully literate at a young age. Compare this to his model, muse and later wife Jane Burden who, for most of her younger years lived a life of poverty. With no money or particular aspirations then differences become quite apparent. Jane Burden was completely illiterate; she also lacked social skills such as company etiquette and basic manners. Something Morris and his family held in high regard.

It was a night at the Theatre that was to be a turning point in Burdens life. Sat in the 'Cheap seats' she was watching a production by the Drury Lane theatre company when friend and mentor to Morris; Rossetti, spotted her. He made no hesitation and quickly approached her to request that she pose for his friend (Morris) who was actively trying his hand at painting the human form.

Her first sitting was meant to take place little under a week after the initial meeting between her and Rossetti but Burden did not show, shocked and possibly a little intrigued by this, both Morris and Rossetti sought after Burden and eventually persuaded her to pose.

Once Morris and Burden had gained proper acquaintance they soon became emotionally attached and entered into a relationship that saw both parties benefit.

In a very similar situation to the afore-discussed Bowery and Freud; Morris' and Burdens' relationship seemed to thrive from what one could give the other. Burden gained education and respectable friends while Morris had a model that was perfect to the ideals of Pre-Raphaelite form. They married two years after they met.

Within two years of marriage Jane Burden had been taught to an exceptionally high literacy level and as for her etiquette and manners? Well, her contemporaries referred to her as "Queenly" I think that is all that needs to be said.

Morris was surprised and shocked to say the least at his new Wife's rate of learning, she had become perfectly prim and proper within the space of two years, something Morris had striven to do his whole life.

At this point it would not be completely out of the question to suggest that Morris may have actually become quite frustrated that his wife had not only re-created herself as a 'Lady' but also that she was actually becoming quite multi talented as she tackled other languages including French and Italian and not to mention a decent proficiency in Classical Piano.

Jane's new found hunger for knowledge and seemingly perfect ability to absorb it must have been tortuous to Morris, who had for years struggled with his abilities painting the female form, also at this time Rossetti was becoming very close to Jane and was in the artistic form of his life having completed several of his best works.

Being surrounded by people who could apparently turn their hands to pretty much anything and be successful must have caused envy if not catalysed the beginnings of an inferiority complex in Morris. But it is not just he who I am seeking to apply my theory of Envy causing inspiration, it is also Rossetti.

Despite his talent, his wealth, his charm and his heritage it was not Rossetti who took Jane Burdens fancy, it was his protégé William. This cannot have been easy for Rossetti whom would have been more accustomed to being the centre of attention due to his many enviable characteristics. When this was not the case I think Rossetti would have been left feeling quite disconcerted.

From Rossetti's self portraits it would seem that he had somewhat of a higher opinion of himself than others may have had. For example, the painting above (left) - a self portrait - portrays a handsome young man, full of Italian charm and beautiful curly hair reaching all the way down to a jaw-line that most men (myself included) would kill for, whereas the other painting - a portrait of Rossetti by William Hunt - shows not a beautiful man but a slightly gaunt, un-kept front profile with eyes that are slightly confrontational if not intimidating, quite a contrast to the confident, poised optical orbs of Rossetti's self portrait. Also his forehead in Hunts portrait is far more prominent

Britain's most popular artist, Lucian Freud was born on December 08, 1922, in Berlin, to Jewish parents Ernst Ludwig Freud and Nee Brasch. Freuds moved to England in 1931 and in 1939, Lucian became a British citizen. The painter studied art at the Cedric Morris East Anglian School of Painting and Drawing in Dedham. He also studied at the Goldsmiths College, University of London.

Lucian Freud held his first solo art exhibition at the Lefevre Gallery, in 1944. His earlier works were considered 'Surreal,' because of his unusual compositions, depicting plants, animals, and people. During 1949-54, he changed his style of painting, now concentrating more on portraits and nudes, using impasto. One such masterpiece of this metamorphosed style is "Girl with a White Dog." To prevent colors from blending with each other, Freud would use alternate brushes for different colors, or would clean up his brush after each stroke. Today, Freud is identified as the greatest 'Figurative' painter of modern times.

Lucian Freud would use friends and acquaintances as models, rather than professionals, as he wanted the 'real' & 'natural' thoughts & feels of the person captured on his canvas. He would use the same people as models for his different paintings, in order to develop a rapport with them at an aesthetically physical and mental level. He believed that professional models are a 'bit of artfulness.' His painting, "Girl with a White Dog" lays a lot of stress on the sitter's face and body. Lucian exploited bold postures (with one breast of the girl hanging out) and the mixed expressions thereon, without the slightest hesitation.

Lucian's "Girl with A White Dog," is a much-acclaimed painting, which he painted during 1951-1952. The girl in this painting was his first wife Kathleen (Kitty) Garman, the daughter of Jacob Epstein and Kathleen Garman. The portrait was made when Kitty was pregnant. Kitty posed for the oil on canvass portrait in a chartreuse dressing gown that unknowingly slips down her right shoulder exposing a breast. Freud has, in a magnificent way captured the multitude of emotions that traverse Kitty's face at that moment, which includes confidence, maturity, and to some extent a sense of apprehension. The painting almost gives one a feeling of being an emotional narrative.

Freud used smooth, linear Ingresque strokes to complete this masterpiece, which shows an unusual juxtaposition between the hair of the bulldog, the wool of Kitty's dressing gown, and the silk bedspread. According to the painter, he has been successful in capturing the moment, instead of just being instrumental in painting it. It is said that Kathleen herself bought this painting paying a handsome amount, as she did not want it to reach the hands of some pervert.

Annette Labedzki received her BFA at the Emily Carr College of Art and Design in Vancouver, B.C. Canada. She has more than 25 years experience. She is the founder and developer of an online art gallery featuring original art from all over the world. It is a great site for art collectors to buy original art. Is is also a venue for artists to display and sell their art . Artists can join for free and their image upload is unlimited. Please visit the website at http://www.Labedzki-Art.com

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