Date: 22.07.17 – 22.10.17
Venue: Martin-Gropius-Bau
World-renowned British artist, Lucian Freud (1922 – 2011) was a master of figurative drawing and painting, known for his analytical observation of the human body. His portraits capture every wrinkle, every bit of sagging flesh, every twitch of expression. While Freud’s work is not known for flattering his subjects, it is rather the quality of poetic honesty conveyed by his work that has captivated viewers.
Currently on display at Martin-Gropius-Bau are 51 of Freud’s etchings, one watercolour and two paintings, which are on loan from the UBS Art Collection and shown for the first time in Berlin, the city of his birth. Among these are the masterpiece painting, ‘Double Portrait’ (1988 – 90), pictured above in the header. However a mere picture cannot do justice to Freud’s work, it must be experienced in person. With thick paint, expressive line, and careful skill, his drawings and paintings capture every plane change, every fold of skin, every change of light – not with the stiffness that may sometimes accompany hyper-realism, but rather with expressive psychological insight into the subject. Buy your tickets here.