This Patron article is my final of three discussing the relationship between two artists discussed in Sebastian Smee’s The Art of Rivalry: Four Friendships, Betrayals, and Breakthroughs in Modern Art. This article is about Francis Bacon and Lucian Freud.
Arguably the most famous (or infamous) psychiatrist EVER, Dr. Sigmund Freud, had a grandson named Lucian. No, Lucian didn’t follow in his grandfather’s footsteps; he had absolutely no interest in being a psychiatrist. Lucian was fascinated by the illustrated texts of bugs and other animals in his grandfather’s office (Dr. Freud’s interest before becoming a psychiatrist). Because Lucian felt more affinity towards animals than most of the people in his life, Lucian began to draw them. Lucian Freud eventually became an artist known for very literal graphic (some called ugly) paintings of his models after many years of laboring trying to develop his own style.
The artist who helped Lucian Freud come to a style of his own was Francis Bacon. Francis was 13 years older than Lucian. Francis was born in Ireland to a very strict controlling father and realized at a young age that not only was he a homosexual, but he also preferred rough sex, getting beaten up by his partners, etc. After seeing an art show in Paris that included works by Pablo Picasso, Francis began to take his artistic leanings more seriously but began a short career as a furniture designer to make ends meet. Francis’ “Three Studies for Figures at the Base of a Crucifixion” exploded onto the British art scene in the waning days of WWII, and his painting star pretty much did not stop until his death in 1992. If you’ve seen the movie Last Tango in Paris, the paintings shown during the opening credits are Francis Bacon paintings.
The raw in-your-face Bacon paintings set Lucian Freud on the way to the style that would make him famous after the two of them met in 1945. Lucian and Francis would represent Great Britain in the 1954 Venice Biennale (the first one post-WWII), a world-renown art show where the next great artists hope to be shown that still goes on to this day.
Neither Francis nor Lucian led quiet existences in their lives nor in their art. Both were HUGE gamblers and constantly had to ask patrons and supporters for money to cover their debts lest their legs get broken or something worse! Both had unconventional views of sex and relationships. I discussed Francis’ proclivities above. While Lucian was officially married only twice, he had at least a dozen children by nearly a half a dozen women. Their lifestyles fed into their art. Their raw sometimes ugly but honest view of their lives made their way into their art. While the specific techniques may have varied slightly, they both sought to portray their experiences as honestly as possible, and sometimes honesty takes a lot of guts.
Comments