There are a few weeks left to see one of the largest collections of Lucian Freud portraits ever assembled in one place.
His is undeniably a fairly unique style of painting, looking at times very rough and not particularly beautiful, he often painted people in a way that certainly didn’t bring out their inner beauty.
However, he was a radical, pushing against 20th-century trends, and at times, pushing against the social and moral codes of the time. A painting of two men relaxing on a bed was shocking when first shown, whereas today it’s rather charming.
You’ve probably seen the adverts for the show, with his self-portrait looming over the viewer in a rather uncomfortable pose that seems quite dominating, and he had a personal life that would match that posture. He was though, a well regarded portrait painter, and the exhibition includes many of the great and good who sat for him so they could have his unique interpretation of how he saw them.
Freud’s celebrity has often overshadowed approaches to the artist’s work and the historical contexts in which it was made. The exhibition seeks to present new perspectives on Freud’s art, focusing on his tireless and ever-searching commitment to the medium of painting.
It’s not a comfortable exhibition to visit, the nudity is at times very blatant, and the painting style is not pleasant to look at, but as a collective exhibition of works by an artist that was lauded in his lifetime, this is a substantial show to visit.
The exhibition, Lucian Freud: New Perspectives is at the National Gallery until Sunday 22nd January.
Adult: £24 | Children: Free
There’s also a special deal on Friday evenings, where you can pay what you want, with a minimum price of £1.
Tickets to the pay what you want offer are on sale now from here. Just go to book tickets and select Fridays after 5:30pm.
For tickets at other times, book via here.
A portrait of Queen Elizabeth II that’s included had to have the detail notice changed ahead of the exhibition opening, to indicate that it was now on loan from The King.
