Lucian Freud

Lucian Freud has always stirred controversy with his radical reinvention of artistic conventions. In particular his graphic male nudes, both portraits of himself and of others, have embodied a rejection of youth's sleek smooth lines in favor of age's unglamorous and unvarnished naturalism. His recent studies of obese male and female models have renewed his reputation as controversialist. This book reminds us that some of his work over the years has been at times more accepted. His portrait of artist Francis Bacon set new standards for truth in portraiture. He painted his mother with huge affection. His landscapes of London have been taken as social commentary, reflections of the metaphorical and literal decay he sees around him. This book records the artist's career after 50 years as a painter.