Woman in a White Shirt 1957

Lucian Freud made this painting, Woman in a White Shirt, using oils, and it’s amazing how he builds up the form through these very specific marks. You can really see the hand of the artist in this piece. The paint is applied in layers, almost like skin being built up in these translucent, fleshy tones. Look closely and you’ll see how Freud uses color to sculpt the face; he’s not just painting what he sees, but how he feels about what he sees. It's interesting how the white of the shirt throws so many of the reflected colours back into the face. I’m struck by the way he renders the eyes, they seem almost sunken, holding a mix of weariness and defiance. This reminds me of work by Marlene Dumas, but there is also something here that reminds me of Holbein, the direct stare, the unflinching realism. Ultimately, this painting embodies the idea that art is a conversation, a continuous dialogue across time and between artists. It is full of ambiguity, inviting us to bring our own experiences to the act of looking.