Naked Portraits: Works from the 1940s to the 1990s - Hardcover

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.

Lucian Freud's massive nudes are among the most powerful and moving visual images of our time, and in this exhaustive overview of Freud's career, readers can trace how he arrived at them. Photos of Freud at work provide a unique view of this very private man. 340 illustrations, many in color.