Lucian Freud

Date of Birth: December 8, 1922

Zodiac Sign: Sagittarius

Date of Death: July 20, 2011

Biography

Lucian Freud was a British painter and draftsman, best known for his richly textured and psychologically penetrating portraits. Born in Berlin, Germany, Freud was the grandson of the famous psychoanalyst Sigmund Freud. His family moved to London in 1933 to escape the rise of the Nazi regime. Lucian attended various art schools including the Central School of Art and Design and the East Anglian School of Painting and Drawing. Freud’s early works were often associated with surrealism, but he later developed a distinctive style characterized by thick impasto and a focus on the human form. His portraits often depict friends, family, and lovers, rendered with an unflinching eye for detail and a deep sense of psychological insight. Over his long career, Freud’s works have been exhibited in major galleries and museums around the world, solidifying his reputation as one of the most important painters of the 20th and 21st centuries.

5 Interesting Facts about Lucian Freud

1. Lucian Freud was the grandson of the famous psychoanalyst Sigmund Freud.

2. He became a British citizen in 1939 after his family fled Nazi Germany.

3. Freud was known for his intense work ethic, often painting for hours on end.

4. His painting “Benefits Supervisor Sleeping” sold for $33.6 million in 2008, setting a world record for a living artist at the time.

5. Freud was a member of the exclusive “School of London,” a group of figurative painters that included Francis Bacon and Frank Auerbach.

5 Most Interesting Quotes from Lucian Freud

1. “The longer you look at an object, the more abstract it becomes, and, ironically, the more real.”

2. “I paint what I see, not what you want me to see.”

3. “The only secret I can claim to have is concentration.”

4. “A painter must think of everything he sees as being there entirely for his own use and pleasure.”

5. “When I look at a body, it gives me choice of what to put in a painting, what will suit me and what won’t.”

Highest Net Worth Achieved

At the time of his death in 2011, Lucian Freud’s net worth was estimated to be around $120 million.

Children

Lucian Freud fathered at least 14 children, although he never publicly acknowledged all of them. Some of his known children include fashion designer Bella Freud, and writer Esther Freud.