Head of a Girl 1976

Lucian Freud captured this head of a girl on canvas, using oil paints in his signature style, we don't know exactly when. You can see it's a very physical process: Freud applied the paint in thick layers, building up the form with visible brushstrokes. Imagine Freud, hunkered over, studying the girl's face. Those eyes looking downwards - what's she thinking? What's he thinking? The muted palette – earthy browns, grays, and pinks – creates a sense of intimacy and quiet contemplation. Look at how the light catches the planes of her face. Freud’s paintings always have this intensity, right? He’s part of a long conversation about how we see and represent the human form. Think about how Jenny Saville throws down paint, or how Marlene Dumas uses washes of colour and thin, washy paint. It’s like they’re all wrestling with similar questions about the body and representation. These paintings feel so alive, so embodied, and that's what makes them resonate.