LUCIAN FREUD

Lucian Michael Freud was a German-born British painter who

was born on September the 8th, 1922. He died of disease on July in
2011 after having lived a successful life as a prominent
contemporary figure and portrait artist whose works were said to
have redefined British art. He worked almost exclusively with oil
paint, excluding a few of his first paintings, which were done with
enamel paints and pencil/ charcoal. A significant feature throughout
his paintings was the profound realism and thick, impastoed surface.
His paintings had a wide range of sizes, from roughly a4 sized pieces
to pictures that took up entire walls, although he painted
considerably more larger than life pictures in his later years.
His works are known to be fairly intense and unsettling, unlike
most portrait and figure paintings. These traits can also be seen in
Frida Kahlo's works as they typically depict her in painful positions
and can often be unflinchingly violent. He painted his subjects in a
sort of harsh, almost grotesque perfection which contrasted heavily
with the mostly average poses of the models, in the sense that he
didn't attempt to make them look aesthetically pleasing, to shed a
flattering light on their bodies, or even have them acknowledge the
viewer- their bodies and faces are simply relaxed and in normal
positions. This, combined with the high eye level present in his
paintings, gives the viewer a sense that they're almost intruding on
the subject as they make no attempt to conform to our gaze and just
let everything, the pretty and the ugly, be observed by us. This also
contrasts with paintings from most other portrait and figure artists
as he always worked to make sure every last imperfection was
accurately captured, rather than attempt to hide or lessen its
existence. This leads to a very unique viewer experience that often
both attracts and repels us because of the presence of the sheer
detail and work that went into his paintings but also the brutally
honest portrayal of the human form.
Personally, I deeply admire Freuds artistry and paintings. I like
how one picture would take months and months of relentless and
persistent work to create. His paintings in my opinion often create a
cold, clinical atmosphere which really distinguishes his artwork from
other artists and adds subtle nuances. Freuds paintings really open
up ones eyes to the vast infinity that are the possibilities for the
human body. My favourite painting of his is Susie because of how
delicately painted the subjects face and arms are in contrast to the
harsh darkness of the fabric covering them.

Frida Kahlo

Frida Kahlo de Rivera was a revolutionary and prominent

Mexican artist born on the 6th of July, 1907. She died of heart failure
on July, 1954, at the young age of 47. Kahlo had a tragic history
regarding her physical health as she suffered from numerous
ailments throughout her life. She contracted polio when she was 6
which resulted in her right leg becoming noticeably thinner and
weaker than the other. When she was 18 she was involved in a
serious bus accident which resulted in lifelong chronic pain, several
broken bones such as her spinal column, collarbone, ribs, pelvis,
numerous fractures in her right leg, a crushed and dislocated right
foot, and a dislocated shoulder. In addition to this, an iron handrail
pierced her abdomen and her uterus, which rendered her unable to
bear a child. This accident was the reason she began painting, as
she spent so much time bedridden while recovering that she
decided to take it seriously to combat the boredom and pain. This
knowledge is crucial to understanding her paintings as the subject of
her pain is a major theme.
Like Freud, Kahlo worked only with oil paints. Her style was
very unique due to the fact that she was a purely self-taught artist,
but also because she took a lot of inspiration from indigenous
Mexican artwork. Her paintings reflected many characteristics found
in indigenous Mexican art, such as her bold use of colour and
dramatic symbolism. During her early years, she was more
influenced by traditional European paintings however she later came
to welcome traditional Mexican techniques into her art. Kahlos art
is typically riddled with symbolism from an assortment of religions,
particularly Jewish, Aztec, Christian and even aspects of Mexican
mythology. This is due to the fact that her parents were both mixed
race and had separate beliefs; her father was German and Mexican,
and supported Lutheranism while her mother was Spanish and
Indigenous Mexican, and a devout Roman Catholic; so they would
have taught her about the symbolism of their respective
backgrounds and beliefs.
 A lot of her self-portraits depict her in pain as pain was what
fuelled and gave her the drive to paint. However her face always
maintains a resilient composure to show that whatever agony she
suffered, she could be strong and make it through. My favourite
painting of hers is Without Hope because of how while the viewer
may find it horrific and grotesque to look at, this accurately
represented the reality of her life at that point. She was weakened
after a number of surgeries and had no appetite, however her doctor
forced her to eat. Her disgust for the food can be seen in the animal
heads and parts. The sun and moon suggest how shes in so much
pain that day and night blend seamlessly together.

Ren Magritte

Ren Franois Ghislain Magritte was an esteemed Belgian

surrealist painter born on November 1898, who achieved fame
through his droll and intriguing images which were known to
challenge ones pre-conceived notions of reality. He died on August
1967. Magritte used oil paint in an orthodox manner- no pointillism
or impasto, just basic painting techniques. He knowingly did this to
contrast the unorthodox ideas behind his paintings.
A motif in some of his works is faces that are obscured with
objects such as an apple or fabric. This was thought to be influenced
by the suicide of his mother who drowned herself in a river and
when found, had her dress wrapped around her face, however he
denies this and instead justifies this as a reflection of how we will
never get to see the full extent of what someone is really like. This is
an example of how common repetition was amongst his works as
there were many key aspects and themes shared across a number of
his paintings, which include men in bowler hats, which can be
interpreted as self-depictions, and cloudy light blue skies.
One of Magrittes most famous paintings was The Treachery of
Images, which depicts a pipe with the caption ceci nest pas une
pipe or this is not a pipe. At first his statement would appear
absurd, however it is completely true for it is just a painting of a
pipe. It was made to make the viewer question their reality, but it
was also a statement against the oppressive rationalism of the
bourgeoisie at the time. During the time he created this piece a lot
of his work centred on the seemingly absurd, but true on closer
inspection. This was achieved through misnaming objects, toying
around with language, mirroring and concealing. He sought to depict
tension between reality and fantasy, nature and the artificial, and
simplicity and the unsettling. His masterful portrayal of contrasting
themes was one of his greatest contributions to the surrealist
movement and why he became so famous.
I like Magrittes work because of the complex ideologies behind
his paintings, as well as for the simple reason that they look nice. I
admire how the simplicity of the subject matter so heavily
contrasted the intricate purpose of his paintings and how he
portrayed that enigma can be found in even the most mediocre of
things. My favourite painting of his is The False Mirror because of the
multiple layers of meaning to it. Its a false mirror as while you stare
at it, it is an eye staring back at you however it is not your eye. It
also raises many questions such as is the sky a reflection or is the
eye a metaphorical representation for how they are the windows to
ones soul?

Salvador Dali (2)

I really like Dalis artwork because of how you really need to

search within the realm of your subconscious to understand what his
work represented. I also admire how while his paintings did look
aesthetically pleasing, they were often riddled with grim themes
such as death, decay and human mortality. The atmosphere his
paintings have is one of