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Taschen Basic Art
Lucian Freud: Beholding the Animal: Unflinching Truth
Unflinching truth British artist Lucian Freud (1922–2011) was widely considered the most important figurative painter of his generation. Master portraitist and specialist in nudes, Freud used impasto to create depth and intensity while restraining his color palate to mostly muted hues. His portraits may be physically unflattering to their subjects, but they are honest, frank, and unapologetic. "I paint people," Freud said, "not because of what they are like, not exactly in spite of what they are like, but how they happen to be." About the
Each book in TASCHEN’s Basic Art series
Each book in TASCHEN’s Basic Art series
- GenresArtBiographyNonfiction
96 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2000
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
July 31, 2018
In copertina c'è un doppio ritratto frequente in Freud, in questo caso giovane donna e cane che condividono il riposo. Il libro è ben riuscito, belle le immagini e interessante e ben scritto il testo. L'autore racconta l'evoluzione dell'opera di Freud (nipote) nel tempo, spiega la scelta dei soggetti e la corrispondenza fra tecnica e risultato espressivo. Bellissimo libro
July 3, 2009
Beholding the Animal
Yes, there are many fine books written about the famous figurative painter Lucien Freud and many of them have far better reproductions for the master's works. But for those who have been considering investing in a monograph on Freud's works, a volume that gives enough representations of his oeuvre to appreciate the spectrum of his talent while giving readable and entertaining written information about the artist and his technique and subject choices, this affordable Taschen volume is an excellent choice.
Sebastian Smee is a recognized authority on the art of Lucien Freud and in this particular book (he has written several others about this artist) he provides a concise and witty and informed background for appreciating the painter's early years and the periods through which Freud passed to arrive at the point of fame he now enjoys. Smee divides this monograph into the following sections: Beginnings (childhood as Sigmund Freud's grandson, and early works), Closing In (dealing with the intensified feeling of Freud's portraits of his family, friends and acquaintances - which include Queen Elizabeth), Freud and Realism (an explanation of how the artist examines the model and finds only the truth that the physical body brings to the portrait), Stretching Out (the development of the large full figure works), Biology (his controversial full figure male and female nudes with and without his dogs), Realism as Theater (an examination of why he paints only those he knows in the space he knows so well that he can ignore defining corners and three dimensional aspects of, say, bed or couches), and finally a chronology that brings us up to date to 2007.
The book is brief but well written and offers enough information to give the beginning admirer of Lucien Freud's art a fine introduction. Grady Harp
Yes, there are many fine books written about the famous figurative painter Lucien Freud and many of them have far better reproductions for the master's works. But for those who have been considering investing in a monograph on Freud's works, a volume that gives enough representations of his oeuvre to appreciate the spectrum of his talent while giving readable and entertaining written information about the artist and his technique and subject choices, this affordable Taschen volume is an excellent choice.
Sebastian Smee is a recognized authority on the art of Lucien Freud and in this particular book (he has written several others about this artist) he provides a concise and witty and informed background for appreciating the painter's early years and the periods through which Freud passed to arrive at the point of fame he now enjoys. Smee divides this monograph into the following sections: Beginnings (childhood as Sigmund Freud's grandson, and early works), Closing In (dealing with the intensified feeling of Freud's portraits of his family, friends and acquaintances - which include Queen Elizabeth), Freud and Realism (an explanation of how the artist examines the model and finds only the truth that the physical body brings to the portrait), Stretching Out (the development of the large full figure works), Biology (his controversial full figure male and female nudes with and without his dogs), Realism as Theater (an examination of why he paints only those he knows in the space he knows so well that he can ignore defining corners and three dimensional aspects of, say, bed or couches), and finally a chronology that brings us up to date to 2007.
The book is brief but well written and offers enough information to give the beginning admirer of Lucien Freud's art a fine introduction. Grady Harp
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November 28, 2023I like Sebastian Smee (former Boston Globe and present Washington Post art critic) because he writes directly about what he's seeing in someone's work, with context of course from art history. I think he's the least pretentious art critic, and he's opened my eyes more than once. I think he understands that painters are mainly thinking about how to make paint do what they want and then responding to the result, as opposed to deep thoughts during the act of painting. Painters think in paint while they're doing it. He knew Freud and interviewed him directly at least a few times, so I think he has a pretty good idea of what Freud is trying to accomplish.
While I understand why some people find Freud's work hard to look at, I think he's one of the great 20th C. painters, and I feel as if I can watch him learning over time, attaining facility, which he didn't have naturally, I don't think, and also expanding the ideas in his paintings. He followed his own path. Some of his paintings feel almost unbelievable--there's one of the junky backyard and building through his studio windows and another of just a patch of plants in his own garden that seem impossible to me; they would have required hours of intense and regular observation. I also admire the limited and controlled palette he uses. He doesn't create drama from using bright colors, but rather from the strangely arranged elements, as if seen out of the corner of his eye. And while some of the work is conventionally beautiful, a lot of it isn't--and not only because the subjects aren't pretty.
I read somewhere, and I think it's likely true (it wasn't in this book), that Freud looked in a mirror to paint, not directly at his subjects. That could account for the tense angles and somewhat distanced points of view. As in Degas and Cassatt this inevitably applies odd psychology to the subject matter. They were influenced by photos and Japanese art; I guess Freud was influenced by them, and his own tastes.
This book's reproductions, like so many, don't give a good idea of the scale of the work. I've only seen a few Freud pieces in real life (the self-portrait show in Boston in 2020 was shut down by the pandemic and I didn't get to see it), and they've been sort of mid-size ones -- maybe 24x36 inches. The measurements in the book are in cm's and yes, I'm bad with those. There are some photos of Freud working in the studio that show just how tiny some work is. I had seen his famous portrait of QEII before and assumed it was along those mid-sized lines, but it is tiny, and she herself posed for it, so I suppose it had to be done pretty quickly. I wonder how many sittings he got? It's not a pretty likeness but the tiara is mind-blowing!!
While I understand why some people find Freud's work hard to look at, I think he's one of the great 20th C. painters, and I feel as if I can watch him learning over time, attaining facility, which he didn't have naturally, I don't think, and also expanding the ideas in his paintings. He followed his own path. Some of his paintings feel almost unbelievable--there's one of the junky backyard and building through his studio windows and another of just a patch of plants in his own garden that seem impossible to me; they would have required hours of intense and regular observation. I also admire the limited and controlled palette he uses. He doesn't create drama from using bright colors, but rather from the strangely arranged elements, as if seen out of the corner of his eye. And while some of the work is conventionally beautiful, a lot of it isn't--and not only because the subjects aren't pretty.
I read somewhere, and I think it's likely true (it wasn't in this book), that Freud looked in a mirror to paint, not directly at his subjects. That could account for the tense angles and somewhat distanced points of view. As in Degas and Cassatt this inevitably applies odd psychology to the subject matter. They were influenced by photos and Japanese art; I guess Freud was influenced by them, and his own tastes.
This book's reproductions, like so many, don't give a good idea of the scale of the work. I've only seen a few Freud pieces in real life (the self-portrait show in Boston in 2020 was shut down by the pandemic and I didn't get to see it), and they've been sort of mid-size ones -- maybe 24x36 inches. The measurements in the book are in cm's and yes, I'm bad with those. There are some photos of Freud working in the studio that show just how tiny some work is. I had seen his famous portrait of QEII before and assumed it was along those mid-sized lines, but it is tiny, and she herself posed for it, so I suppose it had to be done pretty quickly. I wonder how many sittings he got? It's not a pretty likeness but the tiara is mind-blowing!!
July 25, 2010
Oh this was wonderful! You see, after reading the book about Schiele I was quite nervous: my grandmother gave me the Volkskrant set with 20 books about "Modern Masters" for my graduation, but the first one I read was rather awkwardly written and boring. But this was a perfect introduction to Lucian Freud, I think. (for example: no sidetracking, with explanations, engagingly written. Why yes Reinhard Steiner, I'm looking at you) I didn't know anything about Freud going into the book and I wasn't particulary drawn to the art on the cover, but during the reading I grow really fond of Freud (although I still don't like the cover painting). I admire his honesty and even more his visions on art. He seems very pure and I do wish now so to see some paintings in real life!
August 7, 2016
Español:
La importancia de la obra de Freud en el mundo del arte actual es inherente a las vanguardias y enfoques de la pintura figurativas que se explotan y se exploran en el día a día. Hay tanto poder en sus líneas, penetración en sus trazos, elegancia en su distribución y buen ojo en sus composiciones que golpean en la retina de una forma concisa y sin pretensión.
El ensayo de Smee plantea unas cuestiones estéticas que hacen más digerible la obra del nieto de Sigmund y dan al conocedor de bebederos pictóricos una amplia gama de sensibilidad hacia las pinturas que aparecen en el libro. Muy bueno, como toda esa colección de editorial Taschen.
La importancia de la obra de Freud en el mundo del arte actual es inherente a las vanguardias y enfoques de la pintura figurativas que se explotan y se exploran en el día a día. Hay tanto poder en sus líneas, penetración en sus trazos, elegancia en su distribución y buen ojo en sus composiciones que golpean en la retina de una forma concisa y sin pretensión.
El ensayo de Smee plantea unas cuestiones estéticas que hacen más digerible la obra del nieto de Sigmund y dan al conocedor de bebederos pictóricos una amplia gama de sensibilidad hacia las pinturas que aparecen en el libro. Muy bueno, como toda esa colección de editorial Taschen.
January 11, 2022
One of my favorite painters. This is a solid introduction to and overview of Freud's life and work. Very interesting to see his early work at the periphery of surrealism as opposed to his later, more familiar work.
April 24, 2024
Great overview. In his unique realist style, Lucian Freud truely is the Rembrandt of our age. Beautiful quote on page 90: “Er is een verschil tussen feit en waarheid. In de waarheid zit een element van openbaring. Als iets waar is, doet het meer dan de indruk wekken dat ‘het zo is’.”
October 12, 2013
This is a good quality inexpensive little art book written by a very good arts writer. The reproductions are pretty good and clear. The paper quality is excellent and page layouts are pleasing. This is a good introduction to the work and life of one of the twentieth century's greatest painters. The book is also nice to have for portrait artists already familiar with Freud's work and life, just for to marvel at his colour palette, paint handling, and confident drawing with his brush.
February 6, 2016
The book itself is a gorgeous thing to hold. The paper slides smoothly through your fingers with the pleasant scent of quality prints. The choice between the paintings and the narrative is good. It is not a very elaborate book, but a sorts of a gentle hike through the painting of Freud. The rating is of 3.5 in 5, rounded up to 4 in 5.
January 16, 2015
Amazing, disturbing, fleshy, luminous, brutally honest, occasionally cruel, and human, all too human. This book makes a very convincing argument that Lucian Freud (1922-2011) deserves to be remembered as one of the very greatest portrait painters - full stop.
May 17, 2011
A good introduction to Freud with some great paintings presented, if you want to get deeper into the man behind the paintings I would probably go elsewhere otherwise this is a great starting point.
September 13, 2011
8 December 1922 – 20 July 2011
The last of the Great Painters is gone...
The last of the Great Painters is gone...
December 30, 2016
I don't know what kind of man he was; I heard he took an incredibly long time to paint a portrait. He might have been a mystic, I don't know, but his art is touching, true and I love it.
September 27, 2015
Good Taschen monograph on the aptly dubbed "Ingres of existentialism."
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews