Unless you just can’t stand painter Lucian Freud’s “sur-real” work (the hyphen matters, we’re told), this new documentary becomes increasingly fascinating as it unfolds. It’s linked to a 2019 exhibition of self-portraits, and the focus on these pieces turns out to be a remarkably illuminating journey into the life and vision of the artist, who died in 2011 at age 88.
Unlike the previous Exhibition on Screen film about Leonardo da Vinci, this one offers the bonus of the artist himself — in those self-portraits, in photographs and in archival interviews, where he’s so brilliantly aware of his role as eccentric and entertainer as well as “artist.”
The doc traces Freud’s almost shocking evolution from Matisse-like primitivist line drawings to his freer, energetic later works that seem to be Rembrandt portraits filtered through the brush techniques of Francis Bacon (a friend and admitted influence). The film explores all these touchstones, with particular attention to Rembrandt, whose works look surprisingly modern in Freud’s context.
The film sketches Freud’s biography in broad strokes — Sigmund Freud’s grandson, a playboy, etc. — but the focus is his works. It’s a visually rich offering, lingering on many details that the average viewer might miss. Whether you’re casually acquainted (as I was) or a dedicated fan, this Self-Portrait will draw you into the artist’s messy, mesmerizing milieu.
Available to rent May 8-14 via fineartstheatre.com
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