Lucian Freud

Lucian Michael Freud was born on December 8, 1922, in Berlin, Germany. He was the grandson of Sigmund Freud, the founder of psychoanalysis. His family moved to London in 1933 to escape the rise of Nazism. Freud later became a British citizen and one of the foremost 20th-century portrait painters, known for his mature painting style which involves a combination of expressionism and realism.

Lucian Freud, along with his family, emigrated from Germany to the United Kingdom in 1933 to escape the rise of the Nazi regime. This relocation was pivotal in Freud's life as it eventually led him to enter the English art scene, where he began to develop his unique style which would later be marked by psychological penetration and a frank realism.

Lucian Freud had his first solo exhibition in May 1944 at the Lefevre Gallery in London. This exhibition marked Freud's entry into the professional art world. It showcased his early work characterized by finely worked surfaces and a distinct precision that later evolved into the thicker impasto representing the psychological intensity of his subjects.

In March 1951, Lucian Freud was awarded the prestigious Guggenheim Prize for his outstanding contribution to painting. This award recognized his growing stature as a painter and helped to establish his reputation in the art world. Freud's work during this period began to explore more intense psychological elements, with a focus on portraiture and nudes.

In July 2000, Lucian Freud was commissioned to paint a portrait of Queen Elizabeth II. The small painting, completed over 19 months, was known for its stark realism and uniqueness. Freud’s approach caused both admiration and controversy, as it portrayed the Queen in a non-traditional manner, focusing on her more natural and human aspects rather than idealized royal iconography.

On June 22, 1987, Lucian Freud's works were exhibited at the Hirshhorn Museum in Washington, D.C. This exhibition was one of the key showcases of Freud's paintings in the United States, bringing significant attention to his distinctive style, which was marked by detailed observation and psychological depth. The exhibition included a variety of his portraits and nudes.

Lucian Freud's major retrospective at the Tate Gallery in London opened on September 10, 1993. This exhibition was a comprehensive showcase of Freud's work, highlighting the evolution of his painting style and the vivid exploration of his subjects. The retrospective played a significant role in consolidating his status as a leading painter in contemporary art.

In February 2008, Lucian Freud’s painting “Benefits Supervisor Sleeping” sold for $33.6 million at Christie's in New York, setting a world record for the most expensive painting by a living artist at the time. This sale underscored Freud's significance in the art market and highlighted his reputation for capturing the human body with unflinching truth and remarkable detail.

Lucian Freud passed away on July 20, 2011, in London, England, at the age of 88. He left behind a legacy as one of the most influential artists of his time, renowned for his unflinching portrayals of human figures. Throughout his career, Freud developed a profound exploration of psychology and truth in portraiture, leaving an indelible mark on modern art.

In February 2012, the National Portrait Gallery in London opened an exhibition dedicated to Lucian Freud. This exhibition was significant as it was the first since his death and featured more than 100 paintings. It offered a comprehensive look at Freud's career, emphasizing his artistry in capturing the psychological dimension of his subjects.