Freud at Work: Lucian Freud in Conversation with Sebastian Smee

by Lucian Freud, Bruce Bernard, Sebastian Smee

Freud at Work is a rare glimpse into the life of one of the most celebrated—and most private—artists working today. Though in his eighties, this great figurative artist continues to paint with undiminished energy and discipline.

In 120 revealing black-and-white and color photographs taken in Lucian Freud’s London studio, and in a fascinating in-depth interview, we come to understand the stages of the artist’s work and the intensity of his interaction with his subjects—whether fellow artist David Hockney, the Queen of England, or performance artist Leigh Bowery, among others.

Two remarkable photographers have been recording Freud at work over the past twenty years . The artist, uncharacteristically, allowed Bruce Bernard, the acclaimed picture editor, to photograph him in the studio, especially during the years he was working with Bowery as his model. Following Bernard’s death in 2000, David Dawson, the painter’s assistant, began photographing the daily life of the studio, showing us the progress of Freud’s paintings, his models—some naked, some famous—and the painter himself caught in moments of intense concentration.

Though Freud has always been reluctant to give interviews, talk about the painters he admires, or discuss how he works, his conversation here with the Australian writer Sebastian Smee is frank and revealing.

Unlike any other book we have seen about Freud—comparable to David Douglas Duncan’s books of photographs of Picasso—this important document invites us for the first time into the secret domain of the artist.

Genres: Art

256 pages, Hardcover

First published October 24, 2006

About the author

Lucian Michael Freud was a British painter and draughtsman, specialising in figurative art, and is known as one of the foremost 20th-century English portraitists. He was born in Berlin, the son of Jewish architect Ernst L. Freud and the grandson of Sigmund Freud. Freud got his first name "Lucian" from his mother in memory of the ancient writer Lucian of Samosata. His family moved to England in 1933, when he was 10 years old, to escape the rise of Nazism. He became a British naturalized citizen in 1939. From 1942 to 1943 he attended Goldsmiths College, London. He served at sea with the British Merchant Navy during the Second World War.

His early career as a painter was influenced by surrealism, but by the early 1950s his often stark and alienated paintings tended towards realism. Freud was an intensely private and guarded man, and his paintings, completed over a 60-year career, are mostly of friends and family. They are generally sombre and thickly impastoed, often set in unsettling interiors and urban landscapes. The works are noted for their psychological penetration and often discomforting examination of the relationship between artist and model. Freud worked from life studies, and was known for asking for extended and punishing sittings from his models.

Reviews

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a book my husband got me for our first Christmas together...one of the more recent books of his work. His etchings, paintings, graphite drawings, and some explanations of work as well as his life are included in this book. This book does not even begin to cover all the work he has accomplished, as I have an older book I got in London (where he resides) that covers a far larger series of work. However, this book was well put together and exemplifies some of his beautiful work and gives the viewer an idea of what his work looks like if he or she saw it somewhere. Also, it shows the progression of the work over time. It's a gorgeous book and my favorite artist, hands down. You have to view his work before purchasing this book, however. Many are offended or do not understand his work. Others find the nudity and connections between the nudity and subjects perverse. Regardless, definitely review some work before purchasing.

[Jill Polsby · Rating 3 out of 5]

So- so interview with Lucian Freud who I guess was a pretty hard nut to crack. I wanted to know a lot more about him, where he got his unusual models, how long it took to do do some of the portrait work.....I need to read more about him.

[Monica · Rating 5 out of 5]

astounding! inspirational.