A two-volume book of 500 impeccable reproductions of Lucien Freud's works was the most representative review of his artistic heritage
Since the death of the artist in 2011, a number of books about him have been published. But in this huge two-volume book for the first time sums up all the years of creativity of Lucien Freud. Although the publication is not a catalogue-resonance, it is an impeccable study and a comprehensive review of almost half a thousand paintings, drawings, engravings and personal letters of the artist. For this album, many of the works have been photographed anew, resulting in reproductions of the highest quality.
The publication was the result of a collaboration between two of Freud's closest associates, David Dawson and Martin Gayford. For a long time he was an assistant artist in the studio, often a model and a close friend of his, today he is the director of the Lucien Freud Archives. The second was a friend of his during numerous posing sessions for the portrait "Man in Blue Scarf". (2003-2005), as Gayford talks about in his book published in 2010.
Undoubtedly, their proximity to Freud has influenced the selection and reproduction of works. Without adhering to a strict chronology, they picked up things from every decade of Freud's creative life and placed them to reflect the artist's method and rhythms of his works. For example, several paintings depicting the same person are sometimes grouped together to show how the artist's tense relationships with his models have evolved. The drawings are presented not just as preparatory sketches, but are arranged in a well-thought-out sequence, as full-fledged works. In the same way, the engravings are shown in the book, according to their completeness; they were often done after the portraits had been created, when Freud felt that he knew the face of the model quite well.
Gayford wrote a lengthy introductory essay and a series of short texts, giving an idea of Freud's professional life - from decade to decade. The essay is based on the fact of personal acquaintance of the author with the artist. Gayford often recollects conversations with the book's hero, which makes his psychological portrait deeper and more detailed.
Lucien Freud and Irish writer Brendan Bian. 1952 Photo by British writer and TV presenter Daniel Farson. Photo: State of Daniel Farson / National Portrait Gallery, London
Gayford speaks of Freud's overwhelming interest in the "truth", which he contrasts with the idealistic concept of "beauty" and which, in his view, is rooted in an uncompromising but highly personalized perception of reality. In doing so, he reveals the obvious contradictions in Freud's "realism" and explores in detail the success of his "old-fashioned idiomatology," a success that "is still not quite clear," as the author believes. And he also tries to explain how Freud goes beyond the simple fixation of visual facts, developing the skill of sharpening the image and largely relying on his sensory and emotional experience.
The essay briefly describes the impact on Freud of some artists, in particular Francis Bacon, who had a "decisive influence on how to use the colours", Baltius and his "strange eroticism", and Giacometti, whose Sisyphus work - the achievement of the impossible goal of creating an "authentic human picture" - was close to Freud, who identified himself with him.
The book's successes include the publication of a number of works that, while owned by individuals, have rarely or never been shown to the public. It also includes a large number of poorly researched early works. In their time they did not bring glory to the author, but many of them are beautiful in themselves, their stories are often fantastic and border on surrealism.
Although not everyone can afford to buy a two-volume book with the best reproductions of today, there is no doubt that in time it will become a handbook for all those who are truly passionate about the work of this artist.