Since the model he so faithfully copies is not going to be hung up next to the picture... it is of no interest whether it is an accurate copy of the model.
Lucian FreudRead
I paint people, not because of what they are like, not exactly in spite of what they are like, but how they happen to be.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote reflects the artist's focus on the essence of individuals rather than their external traits or identities.
Lucian Freud's quote emphasizes that art should capture the inherent qualities and emotional states of subjects, rather than merely depicting their physical appearances or societal roles. It suggests a deeper, more nuanced understanding of people, as artists strive to portray the complexities of human experience in their work.
Themes
ArtPortraitHuman NatureEmotionExpression
In practice
Example use cases
This quote could be used in an art class to inspire students to explore emotional depth in their portraits.
More from Lucian Freud
All quotes βWhen I look at a body it gives me choice of what to put in a painting, what will suit me and what won't. There is a distinction between fact and truth. Truth has an element of revelation about it. If something is true, it does more than strike one as merely being so.
Lucian FreudRead
It is the only point of getting up every morning: to paint, to make something good, to make something even better than before, not to give up, to compete, to be ambitious.
Lucian FreudRead
The character of the artist doesn't enter into the nature of the art
Lucian FreudRead
I could never put anything into a picture that wasn't actually there in front of me. That would be a pointless lie, a mere bit of artfulness.
Lucian FreudRead
I have a hatred of habit and routine. And what dogs love is just that. They like regular everything, and I don't have regular anything. I have a timetable, but no routine.
Lucian FreudRead
Similar quotes
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Painting contains a divine force which... makes the dead seem almost alive.
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What is art? It is not just nature, it is nurtured nature. It is intelligence applied to what physical ability you have.
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If you want to make a documentary you should automatically go to the fiction, and if you want to nourish your fiction you have to come back to reality.
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