Cyclamen 1964

Lucian Freud painted this Cyclamen, it's anyone's guess when, and it's an exquisite exercise in close looking, but with paint! There's something so tender about how Freud renders the pinks and whites of the petals against the dark, almost bruised-looking leaves. It’s like he's trying to capture the plant's very essence. What I love is the way he builds up the paint, layer upon layer. It's thick in places, almost sculptural, and then thin and transparent in others, allowing the light to bounce around and create this incredible sense of depth. Look at the way he's handled the edge of the table, that stark white line slicing across the bottom. It’s so direct, so unpretentious, yet it anchors the whole composition. You could say this still life, with its intense focus and unflinching gaze, reminds me a little of Morandi, but with a bit more… bite. It’s a reminder that art is an ongoing conversation.