German-British Painter Auerbach Dies

Brembo

You need 2 min read

·

Post on Nov 13, 2024

37 visitor like this post

Share

German-British Painter Auerbach Dies at 90

London, UK - October 7, 2023 - German-British painter Frank Auerbach, known for his intensely expressive portraits and landscapes, has passed away at the age of 90. The news was confirmed by his gallery, Marlborough Fine Art, which represented him for over 60 years.

Auerbach, a towering figure in contemporary art, was born in Berlin in 1931. He fled Nazi Germany with his family in 1939 and eventually settled in London. He studied at the Borough Polytechnic Institute, later the Camberwell School of Arts and Crafts, where he met fellow artist Lucian Freud, who would become a lifelong friend.

Auerbach's artistic journey was marked by a profound dedication to figuration and a unique approach to painting. He was known for his bold, impasto style, where thick layers of oil paint were applied to the canvas with a palette knife, creating a tactile and almost sculptural quality.

His subjects, primarily friends, family, and the urban landscape of London, were depicted with an intensity that revealed both the physical and psychological depths of his sitters. Auerbach's portraits often focused on the human face, capturing its complexities and nuances with a raw and unflinching gaze.

Despite being a fiercely private individual, Auerbach's work gained international recognition. His paintings were featured in major exhibitions around the world, including retrospectives at Tate Modern and the Royal Academy of Arts in London, as well as the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.

Auerbach's legacy as a painter is firmly established. His commitment to the human figure, his innovative use of paint, and his unflinching honesty in portraying the world around him have earned him a place among the most important artists of the 20th and 21st centuries.

His passing marks a significant loss for the art world, but his vibrant and powerful works will continue to inspire and captivate generations to come.