Skewbald Mare 2004

Lucian Freud made this painting of a skewbald mare, we don't know when exactly, using oil on canvas. It's like a process of layering and uncovering. Freud's brushwork here is loose but precise, capturing the animal's form with earthy browns, creams, and blacks. You can almost feel the texture of the horse's coat, the way the light catches the hairs, creating depth and volume. Look at that dappled light on the flank—it’s all about these little, intentional strokes. Each one is considered, but together they create this living, breathing thing. The paint is applied thickly in places, almost sculptural, giving the animal a palpable presence. Freud really knew how to use paint to create an emotional connection, drawing you in with its raw, unfiltered vision. You know, someone like Jenny Saville, with her own visceral approach to the figure, feels like a kindred spirit in that way. Ultimately, it’s this kind of vulnerability, this refusal to look away, that makes art so powerful, isn't it?