'What do I ask of a painting?
I ask it to astonish, disturb, seduce and convince.'
- Lucian Freud
The Lucian Freud exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery has been talked about as the exhibition of the year and now I understand what all the hype is about, as no textbooks give Freud's paintings their deserved justice unless they're seen in the flesh, quite literally.
Despite having studied Freud at school I hadn't fully appreciated the stylistic changes that occurred during his career but as you make your way through the exhibition you feel as if you gain an insight into his lovers, family and friends.
I've got to admit that I'm not usually one to take much time appreciating individual pieces at galleries but there's a quality to Freud's paintings that demands this of the viewer. The brushstrokes, the colour and the subjects are just a few of the aspects that make this a must see and I'd definitely agree that the 130 works of the exhibition successfully 'astonish, disturb, seduce and convince.'
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| Eli and David |
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| Benefits Supervisor Sleeping |
