Artists

Lucian Freud

Press release

Louisiana's summer exhibition focuses on Lucian Freud's lifelong preoccupation with the human face and figure. Exploring the artist's supreme mastery of drawing in all its forms – from pencil, pen, and ink to charcoal and etching on paper – the show also highlights the special dialogue between Freud's drawings and his painting. The exhibition is organised by the National Portrait Gallery, London, in collaboration with the Louisiana. With generous support from Knud Højgaards Fond and the Augustinus as well as the C.L. David Foundation and Collection. Lucian Freud (1922-2011) achieved recognition as one of the 20th century's foremost figurative painters, celebrated for his clinically raw and intensely observed portraits and nude studies. Freud's working practice, artistic techniques and processes, alongside his dedication to the genre of portraiture all contribute to his popularity as an artist. This exhibition explores Freud's lifelong fascination with faces and bodies, spanning from his youth in the 1930s right up to the beginning of this century. It focuses on Freud's mastery of drawing in all its forms – from pencil, pen and ink to charcoal and etching. "Everything is autobiographical and everything is a portrait" – Lucian Freud In addition, a carefully selected group of important paintings will reveal the dynamic dialogue between his practice on paper and on canvas. Alongside archive research and previously unseen material, 'Lucian Freud – Everything is a Portrait' will include works seen on display for the first time.