Visit London Blog » lucian freud http://blog.visitlondon.com Enjoy the very best of London Thu, 20 Jun 2013 09:00:43 +0000 en-US hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.5.1 The Queen: Art and Image at the National Portrait Gallery http://blog.visitlondon.com/2012/05/the-queen-art-and-image-at-the-national-portrait-gallery/ http://blog.visitlondon.com/2012/05/the-queen-art-and-image-at-the-national-portrait-gallery/#comments Thu, 17 May 2012 14:01:14 +0000 Aly http://blog.visitlondon.com/?p=26500 The National Portrait Gallery celebrates the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee with a new exhibition, The Queen: Art and Image.

Portraits from legendary artists including Cecil Beaton, Andy Warhol, Lord Snowdon and Lucian Freud show the changing image and public perception of the Queen over the years, with a mixture of formal and candid shots. 

A highlight is the majestic 1954-55 painting of Her Majesty by Annigoni, which is rarely displayed and is reunited with another of his portraits from 1969. These paintings immediately caught my eye and reminded me of the powerful image the Queen conveys.

I especially enjoyed the reminder of the Queen’s early years and the powerful image she displayed even then.

]]> http://blog.visitlondon.com/2012/05/the-queen-art-and-image-at-the-national-portrait-gallery/feed/ 0 Five Major London Art Exhibitions to See in 2012 http://blog.visitlondon.com/2011/12/five-london-art-exhibitions-to-see-in-2012/ http://blog.visitlondon.com/2011/12/five-london-art-exhibitions-to-see-in-2012/#comments Wed, 28 Dec 2011 11:30:11 +0000 Hannah Collingbourne http://blog.visitlondon.com/?p=24630

This year we enjoyed blockbuster exhibitions including Miró at Tate Modern, Leonardo da Vinci at the National Gallery and Degas at the Royal Academy.

So which will be the most talked-about shows in 2012? Here are five to look out for:

  • Lucian Freud Portraits, National Portrait Gallery: More than 100 works by the artist who died in July 2011, including his portrait of Benefits Supervisor Sue Tilley. 9 Feb-27 May
  • Damien Hirst, Tate Modern: The first substantial survey of Hirst’s work in the UK, featuring his famous Pharmacy installation and shark in formaldehyde. 5 Apr-9 Sep
  • Picasso and Modern British Art, Tate Britain: Major exhibition bringing together Picasso’s work and that of admirers such as Henry Moore and David Hockney. 15 Feb-15 Jul
  • David Hockney RA: A Bigger Picture, Royal Academy of Arts: Exhibition spanning 50 years and showcasing brand new landscapes, iPad drawings and films. 21 Jan-9 Apr
  • Queen Elizabeth II by Cecil Beaton: A Diamond Jubilee Celebration, Victoria and Albert Museum. One of several major exhibitions celebrating the Diamond Jubilee. 8 Feb-22 Apr

Which exhibitions are you looking forward to in 2012? Let us know in the comments below.

]]> http://blog.visitlondon.com/2011/12/five-london-art-exhibitions-to-see-in-2012/feed/ 0 Lucian Freud Portraits to open at London’s National Portrait Gallery in 2012 http://blog.visitlondon.com/2011/09/lucian-freud-portraits-to-open-at-londons-national-portrait-gallery-in-2012/ http://blog.visitlondon.com/2011/09/lucian-freud-portraits-to-open-at-londons-national-portrait-gallery-in-2012/#comments Tue, 20 Sep 2011 10:32:25 +0000 Hannah Collingbourne http://blog.visitlondon.com/?p=22940 London’s National Portrait Gallery will host a major Lucian Freud exhibition next year to coincide with the Olympic and Paralympic Games.

The gallery’s director Sandy Nairne wanted to “invite one of our very, very best artists to make a very special exhibition”. He approached Freud, who “responded extremely warmly and positively to that proposition”.

Unfortunately Freud died in July, but Nairne says this is not a retrospective but an exhibition made “in close collaboration with Lucian Freud”.

There’ll be more than 100 works on show, including portraits of:

  • Freud’s mother Lucie
  • Artists Frank Auerbach, Francis Bacon and David Hockney
  • Performance artist Leigh Bowery
  • Bowery’s friend Sue Tilley, the “Benefits Supervisor”

Lucian Freud Portraits is at the National Portrait Gallery from 9 February to 27 May 2012 and is part of the London 2012 Festival

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