Bacchus and Ariadne 1971

Frank Auerbach’s ‘Bacchus and Ariadne’ is a dance of smeared colour, dashes of red and black, set in a field of sky blue and cadmium yellow. The image feels urgent, alive with the challenge of painting itself. I can imagine Auerbach standing before the canvas, wrestling with the motif, trying to coax it into being. The paint is thick, sculptural almost. Look how each stroke seems to carry the weight of his intention. There is a kind of honesty to the painting, where every decision, every correction, is laid bare for us to see. I see echoes of Bomberg and Soutine in Auerbach's commitment to process and the materiality of paint. Auerbach, Bomberg, Soutine—they're all part of this conversation across time, pushing the boundaries of what painting can be. Each artist builds upon the discoveries of those who came before, challenging and inspiring one another to see the world anew. Painting is a process and an ongoing exchange.