Lucien Freud

Lucian Freud is a British figurative artist. He is known for his controversial portrayals of the British aristocracy and for his realism portrait paintings, which are often contain nude subjects.

Fast Facts

1. Full name: Lucian Michael Freud
2. Born: December 8, 1922
3. Place of birth: Berlin, Germany
4. Is the grandson of Sigmund Freud
5. Was trained at the Central School of Art in London
6. His painting Benefits Supervisor Sleeping sold for a record breaking $33.6 million¹
7. Is rumored to have fathered up to 40 illegitimate children²

Early Life and Career

Lucian Freud, the son of an architect, was born in Germany and immigrated to United Kingdom in 1933. He studied art in several schools, trying his brush in surrealism, expressionism and realism, eventually settling on the latter style.

Late Career and Style

Lucian Freud's later works often focus on large human figures. Among others he painted close friends, members of his family and fellow artists. His later style is distinguished by the use of impasto, the application of thick layers of paint onto the canvas. Widely recognized as one of the most important working contemporary artists, Lucian Freud strives to convey the psychological complexity and emotional tension of his models.³

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