Woman in a Butterfly Jersey 1991

Here we see Lucian Freud’s oil on canvas painting, “Woman in a Butterfly Jersey.” Freud, born in Berlin but working primarily in Britain, was known for his unflinching, realist portraits. His sitters, often friends or family, were rendered with a remarkable intensity and psychological depth. In this particular painting, the woman's gaze is direct, almost confrontational. Her hands are clasped, and there is a sense of stillness, yet also a feeling of a life fully lived. The butterfly jersey, with its delicate, colorful pattern, provides a striking contrast to the woman’s age. One might be tempted to assume a lot about the sitter based on her appearance and how it does or does not adhere to societal norms. However, this juxtaposition invites us to reconsider our preconceptions about beauty, aging, and identity. As Freud once said, "I am only interested in painting human beings, I want them to be as close to the real thing as possible." What does it mean to capture the "real thing" about a person? The painting is less about physical perfection and more about the raw, unvarnished truth of human existence, inviting us to engage with the sitter on a deeply human level.