Lucian Freud Remembered. Images of (and links to) his Astounding Work.

above: Lucian Freud self-portrait (one of many), Reflection, 2005

British realist, figurative and portrait painter Lucian Freud, who was one of the greatest artists of our time, passed away at the age of 88 on July 20th.


above: photo of Lucian Freud by David Montgomery

above: a young Lucian Freud in his studio (photographer unknown)

The grandson of the 'Father of Pyschoanalysis,' Sigmund Freud, Lucian was well-known and critically acclaimed for his prolific work. Many of his paintings have broken art auction records and he was greatly respected by both fellow artists, instructors, critics and the art-savvy public.


above: Lucian Freud's Reflection (a self-portrait) with two children

above photo of Lucian Freud working at night by David Dawson, 2oo5

There have been many wonderful articles, documentaries, blog posts and more written on artist Lucian Freud (occasionally spelled Lucien). For that reason, I won't go into depth about his career but will share some links to interesting articles and several images of some of his paintings (please note that his drawings and etchings are equally superb and compelling). There are additional links at the end of this article so you can peruse his vast and impressive repertoire.

Portrait of Harry Diamond:

Portrait of David Hockney:

photo of Hockney and Lucian Freud in Freud's atelier:

Portrait of Francis Bacon:

Father and Daughter:

Interior (after Watteau):

Interior in Paddington:

Portrait of the Queen:

Bella and Esther:


He captured himself, friends, family, fellow artists and a few famous folks (Jerry Hall, Kate Moss and more) in portraits he referred to as "naked' rather than nude. Often immortalized as sleeping or reclining, his thick brush strokes and energetic style were unmistakable. In his own words he "turned paint into flesh" and in the following selection of portraits, that is clearly visible.

Benefits Supervisor Sleeping:

Naked portrait with reflection:

two different portraits of Leigh Bowery:

photo of Leigh Bowery's sitting for Freud:

An homage to Cezanne:

Eight Months Gone, a portrait of a pregnant Jerry Hall:

his portrait of model Kate Moss:

Lucian Freud with muse (one of several) Kate Moss:

The Painter Surprised by a Naked Admirer:


Lucian Freud was also a dog lover - he owned two beloved whippets named Pluto and Eli- and many of his portraits coupled himself and friends with dogs, like those shown below:


above image of Lucian Freud, 2005, by photographer David Dawson

Girl with White Dog:

Guy and Speck:

Guy with Speck:

Eli and David:

David and Eli:

Portrait with whippet:

Double Portrait:

Double Portrait:

Triple Portrait:

Eli:


Since his recent passing, many articles have appeared, here are just a few:

• A New York Times article by William Grimes and another New York Times article by Michael Kimmelman and its accompanying side show

• The Los Angeles Times' Remembering artist Lucian Freud

• The Guardian's article featuring good links and tributes to the artist.

• The Mirror's profile of the artist.

• The Telegraphs' Lucian Freud: A Life In Pictures

• The Independent's A singular portraitist. A tireless hedonist. A dear friend.

• The Daily Mail asks Did Lucian Freud Love his Art More Than His Children? in this article about his personal life.

And shown here in 3 parts is a 2010 documentary on the painter's retrospective exhibit (160 paintings) posted on YouTube by artcatal:

part 1

part 2

part 3


Some links to his work:

Lucian Freud: The Painter's Etchings at MoMA

Lucian Freud at the Centre Pompidou

Lucian Freud on Artnet

Art by Lucian Freud on the Museum Syndicate

Lucian Freud on Wikipedia

Rest in Peace.

Paul Boddum's Pet Paintings & Custom Portraits

above: Lucy (1992-2008), Portrait for Ann Rohmer


Paul Boddum (b.1966) is a visual artist based in Toronto. His passion is creating contemporary artworks for people who cherish their dogs and cats. Paul's inspiration comes from his love of animals and the unique personalities and stories of each pet he paints. Boddum's paintings are concerned with the idea of dogs being little versions of our ideal companion and the positive effects pets have by enhancing our quality of life.



Paul has done portraits for such animal enthusiasts as Art Smith (chef, author, television personality) one time personal chef to Oprah Winfrey, and Anne Rohmer of CP24 Breakfast Television and Animal House Calls Host. The Pet Network has profiled Paul on two occasions and his artwork has been featured in publications such as the Toronto Star, Style and Home, Canadian House and Home, Boston Herald, and the National Post. He has been exhibited locally and in the US including the Art of the Dog exhibition at Morgan Stanley, California with other nationally recognized animal artists from across North America. In 2002 after showing at the Toronto Outdoor Art Exhibition he began taking orders for private commissions by independent collectors.

Jasper and Cooper:


Link:


Brody:


Paul Boddum studied visual art briefly at York University and in 1989 became a self-taught artist focusing on combining figurative and abstract painting styles. Currently he continues to work on private commissions and original works for future exhibiting.

Molly and Sadie:

Basil:

Moti:

Janet and Bug:

Sparky:

Charley:


The Artist's Statement:


My paintings address issues of personal identity and my growing up as an adoptee. I'm interested in exploring the effects of the environment one is exposed to and the nurturing of one's family. My impulse is to paint domestic pets and the transformative bond that forms from the need to be cared for by others.

My early portraits were inspired by a visit to a dog show, photographing the event, and drawing from that energy to produce works that capture the interspecies interactions and personalities on display. Afterwards I created my works using an overhead projector to blow up pictures of dogs from vintage breed books onto canvas in a Pop Art style.

Gesso:


These images confronted the viewer with a familiarity to viewing a human portrait painting like Chuck Close and Andy Warhol. My use of commissioned portraits is a traditional practice that I approach in a contemporary way. I purposely leave the human out of the picture, and declare the pet as family member of equal importance. My paintings are concerned with the idea of dogs being little versions of our ideal companion.

Rudey:


I present the animal as a subject deserving of its recent ascent in society to full blown family member. Dogs are now seen as similar to having a child, they are pampered and nurtured more so than any other time in history. The animal in my recent work is paired with bold abstract expressionist gestures.

My works Autumn (2007) as well as Pampered Puppy (2006) convey the expected details of the animals form, but the background is not treated like a background, it is painted as an extension of the animals.

Pampered Puppy:


Autumn:


Commission Pricing (as of 08/2009):

above: Ferris, the final painting and photograph from which it was painted

16 x 20 inches - $1000
20 x 24 inches - $1100
24 x 30 inches - $1200
30 x 36 inches - $1400
36 x 48 inches - $1800
48 x 60 inches - $2200

(square sizes)
30 x 30 inches - $1200
36 x 36 inches - $1400
48 x 48 inches - $2000

For 2 or more pets, $200. is added to the cost. Larger and custom sized canvases are available.

See more of his work and/or order a custom portrait here.

Other dog art related posts:

•For the Love of Dogs & Art: The Wurstminster Dog Show

•Dogs As Seen By A Dutchman: Maarten Wetsema's Fab Photos

•Moira McLaughlin: Dog Art, Dog Talk, Dog Videos. Doggone Fun.