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 would wish my portraits to be of the people, not like them. Not having a look of the sitter, being them.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Lucian Freud emphasizes capturing the essence of a person rather than their physical appearance in portraiture.
In this quote, Lucian Freud conveys his philosophy of portrait painting, suggesting that true art transcends mere likeness. He believes that a portrait should reflect the subject's inner self and character, allowing the viewer to connect with the person on a deeper level, rather than just their outward features.
Themes
ArtPortraitEssencePaintingSelf
In practice
Example use cases
During a gallery opening, one could quote Freud to spark conversation about the deeper meaning behind portrait art.
More from Lucian Freud
All quotes →When 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 paint people, not because of what they are like, not exactly in spite of what they are like, but how they happen to be.
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
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