• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Home
  • About
    • First Time Here?
    • Archive
    • London Blogs
  • Blog
  • Travel
    • London Theater Tickets
    • Shopping
    • Tips
    • Tours
    • Transport
    • Maps
    • Parks
    • Resources
    • Restaurants
    • Top 10 London
  • Culture
    • Art
    • Buildings
    • Food
    • London Books
    • Movies
    • Museums
    • Music
    • Pubs
  • Londonism
    • Reviews
    • Fun London
    • Iconic London
    • Life in London
    • London Realities
    • Moving to London
    • Politics
  • The Tube
  • London History
    • Great London Buildings
    • Great Londoners
  • Contact
  • Guidebooks
    • 101 London Travel Tips – Guidebook
    • 101 Free Things to do in London

Londontopia

The Website for People Who Love London

You are here: Home / Columns / Laura's London / Lucian Freud: Family Matters at Freud Museum London

Lucian Freud: Family Matters at Freud Museum London

Jul 21, 2022 By Laura Porter Leave a Comment

For the centenary of the birth of British artist Lucian Freud (1922–2011), the Freud Museum is staging its first-ever exhibition of his work. The exhibition explores the childhood, family life, and early work of Lucian Freud at the London home of his grandfather, Sigmund Freud (1856–1939), the founder of psychoanalysis. On display are paintings, drawings, photographs, sculpture, books, and letters – a good proportion of which have never, or very rarely, been seen in public before.

Lucian Freud

Lucian Freud was born in Berlin in 1922, the son of Jewish architect Ernst L. Freud and the grandson of Sigmund Freud. His family moved to St John’s Wood, London, in 1933 to escape the rise of Nazism. Lucian became a British subject in 1939.

Lucian Freud’s impact and influence on cultural history are undeniable. Like his grandfather, Sigmund, who revolutionized the way we understand the mind, Lucian affected the history of 20th-century art. He migrated from surrealism to realism, often using family and friends as his subjects, over a 60-year career. He became one of the most important figures of contemporary art.

Head of a Girl (1975) by Lucian Freud

Known for his outrageously realistic portraits, his works are autobiographical. He would paint the model multiple times, in different postures as he thought this process helped him understand his subject better.

He was close to Francis Bacon, his mentor, but did not speak very highly of other artists. He called Man Ray “noisy and vulgar,” thought Picasso was “absolutely poisonous” and Max Ernst “heavy and stiff”.

Self-Portrait (c.1998) by Lucian Freud

Lucian Freud died in London in 2011 and is buried at Highgate Cemetery.

Freud Museum

The Freud Museum is at 20 Maresfield Gardens, Hampstead, and was Sigmund Freud’s final home. This is somewhere Lucian would have often visited.

Sigmund Freud died here in 1939, just one year after arriving in England. His youngest daughter Anna (herself a pioneer of child psychoanalysis) remained in the house until her own death in 1982. She bequeathed the home as a museum to honor her father. The Freud Museum opened in 1986.

© Freud Museum London

The Exhibition

The exhibition looks at Lucian’s work through the perspective of family connections, a subject on which his grandfather had developed radical new thinking. It focuses on works related to Lucian Freud’s childhood, family, and friends. It explores some less well-known aspects of his life, including his love of reading, and lifelong fascination with horses. It also features his relationships with the two former occupants of 20 Maresfield Gardens: his grandfather, Sigmund, and his aunt, Anna.

The works on display have been loaned by Lucian’s family and from the Freud Museum archive collections.

Childhood Drawing (c.1920s) by Lucian Freud

Alongside Lucian Freud’s paintings and drawings, the exhibition includes illustrated childhood letters, books he owned and book covers he designed.

Three of Lucian’s children are novelists: Rose Boyt, Susie Boyt and Esther Freud.

Lucian loved horses. His sole surviving sculpture is Three-legged Horse (1937). His son, Ali Boyt, remembered holding a horse for Lucian to paint in 1970.

This horse drawing by Lucian accompanied a letter to his father in the early 1930s.

Lucian and His Parents

Lucian made good use of his mother and father for portrait sittings. He was the second of three sons born to Ernst Freud (1892–1970) and Lucie Brasch (1896–1989). His father was the fourth child of Sigmund Freud whose personality was described as ‘controlled and controlling’.

Lucian’s mother always made it clear that Lucian was her favorite child. She regarded everything Lucian did not just as ‘good but as perfect’, which he found suffocating. After Ernst’s death in 1970, she became more passive. From then until her death, he painted, drew, and etched her again and again.

The Painter’s Mother Resting (1975–76) by Lucian Freud. This is currently hanging above Sigmund Freud’s famous couch in his study.

Freud and His Children

Lucian Freud was a relentless womanizer. Ridiculously fertile, he once fathered three children with three different women within the space of one year. He formally acknowledged 14 of his offspring, but the rumors suggest he fathered up to 30.

I saw Ali Boyt at the exhibition, Lucian’s son with Suzy Boyt. Ali has struggled with drug addiction for most of his life and felt the only way he could spend time with his father, was to sit as a portrait subject.

Ali Boyt, son of Lucian Freud
Head of Ali (1999) by Lucian Freud. (Note that Ali’s left eye is half-closed because of his drugged state.)

Lucian certainly regularly made use of his family for portraits. The Pearce Family (1998) is a group portrait that grew while it was being painted. Lucian planned to paint a picture of his daughter, Rose Pearce (née Boyt). She wanted her husband to be in it; then they had a child, so the baby was included too. And as it was now a family portrait, her stepson was needed as well.

Not Just One Room

The exhibition continues outside of the main exhibition room with an early painting on the landing, Palm Tree (1944), which he gave to his aunt Anna. He had bought the palm tree from a garden center in St John’s Wood, London, and it remained in his studio for many years.

In Anna’s Room, there are some artifacts from 1944 when he moved to a studio in Paddington.

Honour Stern and Billy Lumley in the Delaware Terrace studio (August 1945). Billy is holding a drawing of himself by Lucian Freud and the artist can be seen in the mirror.

Downstairs in Sigmund Freud’s study, there is the painting of Lucie Freud over the couch. At the other end of the study is Lucian Freud’s copy of A History of Egypt by James Breasted. The book also features in Still Life with Book (1993) on the wall between the windows.

As you head down the stairs, do notice this begonia on the half landing. Lucian also enjoyed houseplants.

More Lucian Freud Exhibitions

Running from 1 October 2022 to 22 January 2023 at the National Gallery, Lucian Freud: New Perspectives is the first major exhibition of Lucian Freud’s work in 10 years. It will bring together more than 60 paintings from across seven decades. This exhibition will look beyond Freud’s fame and infamy to focus on the artist’s uncompromising commitment to painting in the 20th century.

Tate Modern has Capturing the Moment on from 17 May 2023 to 7 May 2024. It’s a celebration of painting in the 20th and 21st centuries, showing how some of the greatest modern painters have captured moments in time. It will also show the impact that photography had on painting, and the impact painting had on photography. The show will highlight a range of artists spanning the last 80 years, from the work of post-war expressive painters such as Francis Bacon and Lucian Freud to artists whose work responded directly to the rise of mass media including Andy Warhol, Gerhard Richter and Pauline Boty.

Visitor Information

Exhibition Title: Lucian Freud: Family Matters

Address: The Freud Museum, 20 Maresfield Gardens, Hampstead, London NW3 5SX

Dates: 6 July 2022 – 29 January 2023

Opening Hours: 10.30am – 5pm, Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday.

Official Website: www.freud.org.uk

When here, do visit the excellent museum shop.

Laura Porter
Author: Laura Porter

Laura Porter writes AboutLondonLaura.com and contributes to many other publications while maintaining an impressive afternoon tea addiction. You can find Laura on Twitter as @AboutLondon, on Instagram as @AboutLondon and @AboutLondon Laura on Facebook.

close

Free London News

Get the latest news on London history, culture, travel, exhibitions, and more right in your inbox!

Check your inbox or spam folder to confirm your subscription.

Share this:

  • Print
  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Pinterest
  • Reddit
  • Pocket

Filed Under: Art, Featured, Laura's London, Special Exhibitions Tagged With: Freud

Subscribe to Our Free London Updates

Free London News

Get the latest news on London history, culture, travel, exhibitions, and more right in your inbox!

Check your inbox or spam folder to confirm your subscription.

About Laura Porter

Laura Porter writes AboutLondonLaura.com and contributes to many other publications while maintaining an impressive afternoon tea addiction. You can find Laura on Twitter as @AboutLondon, on Instagram as @AboutLondon and @AboutLondon Laura on Facebook.

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

Subscribe to Our Free London Updates

Free London News

Get the latest news on London history, culture, travel, exhibitions, and more right in your inbox!

Check your inbox or spam folder to confirm your subscription.

Get the Anglotopia/Londontopia App

Our Advertisers

If you are a mobile gamer, you may want to take a look at UK’s new mobile casinos and slots reviewed by NewCasinoUK.

Join the London Forum

  • Mudlarking
  • MY FAVOURITE PLACE IN LONDON
  • What's Your Favorite Place in London?
  • Paddington Station

London Guide

  • Ten Cheap Things You Can Do in London on a Budget
  • Ten London Exhibitions to Look Forward to in 2023
  • London’s Non-Free Museums: Your Guide to London’s Museums That Charge Admission
  • Trip Planning: Top 10 Exhibitions To Plan Your 2018 Trips to London Around
  • London Guide: Our Favorite Restaurants in London – London Restaurant Recommendations for Americans – What’s Your Favorite?

Connect With Us

  • Facebook
  • RSS Feed
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

Support Londontopia

Search our Extensive Archive

Top 10 London

  • Ten Unusual Exhibits to See in London
  • London Pubs: Ten Thameside Pubs for a Pint and a View
  • Top 10 London: Ten More Things to Do Along the River Thames
  • Top 10 London: Top Ten Shopping Centers in London
  • Museums of London: Ten Overlooked London Museums
  • Top 10 London: Top Ten Things to See and Do in Haggerston
  • Top 10 London: Top Ten Things to See and Do in Haringey
  • Top 10 London: Top Ten Things to See and Do in Redbridge
  • Top 10 London: Top Ten Things to See and Do in Hillingdon
  • Top 10 London: Top Ten Things to Do in Canonbury

Recent Posts

  • Poet Lemn Sissay ‘over the moon’ to receive Freedom of the City of London
  • English Heritage has unveiled six new blue plaques for London
  • National Portrait Gallery to reopen in June with two special exhibitions
  • Exploring The Cosmic House in London
  • Ten Social Media Accounts to Follow for Londonphiles
  • New Royal Academy Exhibition: Treasures from Spain and the Hispanic World
  • Pollock’s Toy Museum in London Has Closed Unexpectedly
  • The Fiver:  Five Live-Action Children’s Shows Set in London
  • In Pictures: Winter Lights festival returns to London for first time since 2020
  • Tube and London bus fares to rise by nearly 6% from March

Best Posts on Londontopia

  • 101 London Travel Tips
  • Top 100 London Attractions
  • How to Find the Cheapest Airfares to London
  • 10 Things NOT to do in London
  • Best London Guidebooks
  • 101 Free Things to do in London
  • London Lingo – A London Word Dictionary
  • Top 7 Tips for Doing London on the Cheap
  • Top 11 Myths American Believe about London
  • Guide to Eating in London
  • Best Times of Year to Travel to London
  • London Packing Tips
  • Top 11 Movies Set in London
  • Top Attractions off the Tourist Track
  • Top 5 Most Amazing London Hotels
  • Top 10 Hostels in London
  • Best Views in London Restuarants
  • London Taxi Ettiquette
  • Top 12 London Views
  • Great Fire of London
  • A Guide to Five of London’s Bridges
  • 10 Random Facts and Figures about Trafalgar Square
  • Top 100 British Slang Words

London Places to Explore

Bloomsbury Buckingham Palace Canary Wharf City of London Covent Garden Cutty Sark Greenwich Hampstead Hampton Court Palace Heathrow Houses of Parliament Hyde Park Imperial War Museum Islington Kensington Kensington Palace Leicester Square London London Eye London Transport Museum Museum of London National Gallery Notting Hill Piccadilly Circus Putney Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park Regent's Street Royal Academy Selfridges Somerset House Southbank Southwark St Pancras St Paul's Cathedral Tate Britain Tate Modern The City Tower Bridge Tower of London Trafalgar Square V&A Wandsworth West End Westminster Westminster Abbey

SIGN-UP FOR FREE LONDON WEEKLY UPDATES!

Please enter a valid email address
That address is already in use
The security code entered was incorrect
Thanks for signing up

Recent Videos

Walk Around London Virtually Right Now – Watched Walker is the YouTube Channel We All Need Right Now

Jason Hawkes Shares a Beautiful Video of London From Above That We All Need Right now

London Tube: You’ve Got to Watch This Amazing Mesmerizing Animation That Shows the Real Geography of the London Underground

Video: The Basics of Crossrail – London’s New Underground Line

London History: The Place Where Old London Double Decker Buses Went to Die

London Video: A Look at the Great Smog of London

Tube and London bus fares to rise by nearly 6% from March

What is Crossrail 2 and What is Its Current Status?

London Alert: Strike by London Underground workers to go ahead after last-minute talks fail

London Mayor hails Elizabeth line as direct routes and Sunday services begin

Elizabeth line fully opens and offers more direct journeys

Tube poet encourages writers to ‘bring who they are to the field’

Footer

About Londontopia

Londontopia is simply the website for people who love London. It was founded by Jonathan & Jackie Thomas from Anglotopia.net as a place to post articles solely focused on London and its environs. Keep up with all the latest London news at Londontopia! This site is geared towards people who love to visit London and our primary audience is North American but everyone is welcome!

When We’re in London Next

We don’t currently have any travel plans to London but hope to visit at some point in 2021.

  • SEO Backlinks
  • Travel Blog

SIGN-UP FOR FREE LONDON WEEKLY UPDATES!

Please enter a valid email address
That address is already in use
The security code entered was incorrect
Thanks for signing up

Copyright © 2023 Anglotopia, LLC · Website Developed by Anglotopia, LLC · Log in