Lucian Freud: Monumental

Curated by the artist s longtime studio assistant and friend, David Dawson, this important volume features twenty major and rarely seen paintings by Lucian Freud (1922-2011). The book begins with works from 1990, when Freud began painting the performance artist Leigh Bowery: these large-scale portraits of Bowery ushered in a new sense of monumentality in the artist s oeuvre. Inspired by Bowery s impressive physique, Freud began working on a larger scale, which emphasized the physical presence of his subjects. Despite their grand scale, Freud s subjects are still depicted with a sense of intimacy, penetrating honesty, and psychological depth. The naked body is a subject that has special significance in Freud s oeuvre. Nakedness was a way for Freud to get a more truthful portrait. Freud s probing oils get fresh consideration in this monograph and Dawson provides insights and stories about Freud working on these portraits, giving an intriguing behind-the-scenes look at the life of a contemporary master of representational art.